How parts form a pattern
Compare how spacing and shared appearance influence grouping.
The picture in words
- Proximity
- Nearby elements tend to be grouped.
- Similarity
- Elements sharing a feature tend to be grouped.
- Organization
- The arrangement influences the pattern perceived.
Reading the illustration
Compare each pair while keeping the dot count fixed. Spacing or visual similarity changes which dots seem to belong together.
Try a question
What changes when the same dots are moved closer into pairs?
Show the explanation
The spacing creates a stronger cue to grouping. The elements remain the same while their arrangement changes.
Read the sources
- Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020). Psychology 2e. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/5-6-gestalt-principles-of-perceptionSelected rendered passages: Proximity/similarity/continuation/closure passages.