Gestalt Psychology was founded by Max Wertheimer, early in the 20th century. He believed that humans innately perceive things as whole.
The following are some of his principles, that explain how most people see forms in their environments.
Gestalt Psychology Ideas
Groups
We group objects by the following methods
Proximity: objects closet together Similarity: same shape, size or colour
Direction
Objects to be perceived to be moving in the same direction
Context
Object grouped on context or past experience
Closure
The tenancy to perceive incomplete forms as complete.
Continuity
To see a line or a shape continuing in a direction, rather than making a sharp turn.
Simplicity:
We as Humans prefer the simplest, most stable organization of shapes, forms & patterns, rather than those that are complex
Figure Ground
This refers to how people distinguish form from its surrounding. The famous image above shows how an image can be perceived two different ways. We either see two faces or a vase, but not both at the same time.
Negative Space
Graphic designers / Artist often call the ground around an object negative space
For Interior Designers Gestalt's Theory suggests that individual elements can not be designed as single entities. They must be seen as part of the larger environment and that people entering a space will bring with them their own ideas about what things are and how they should be perceived.