Gestalt laws

You need to know:
 * The Gestalt Laws
 * Proximity, Closure, Continuity, Similarity, Figure-ground
 * Illusions that the Gestalt theory can explain
 * Evaluation of the Gestalt Theory

Summary
He uses his laws of proximity, closure, continuity, similarity and figure-ground to explain many illusions. His idea of figure-ground also explains many illusions. His theory suggests that we organize parts of a stimulus into a whole.

Proximity: objects which are close together are perceived to be related.

In the picture of the dots, you can see that the blue dots are viewed as a group because they are close to each other. Continuity: straight lines, curves and shapes are perceived to carry on being the same.

In the picture of the dots, you can see that the blue dots are a group because they are in straight lines and they continue on and on.

Closure: lines or shapes are perceived as complete figures even if parts are missing.

Similarity: objects that are similar shape are viewed as together/a group.

In the picture of the dots, you can see that the yellow dots nd the blue dots are viewed as separate groups, because they are not similar.

Figure Ground: We tend to split images into figure and ground in order to make sense of the visual scene. The more complex figure is the 'figure' and the less complex figure is the 'ground'. In a photo of a black cup against a white background, the black cup will be the 'figure' and the white background will be the 'ground'.

The Kaniza Triangle
The Kaniza Triangle is a good example of an Illusion that Gestalt's theory can explain. It is a fiction illusion. This is an illusion that you must learn in Gestalt's theory, it helps you understand Gestalt's theory better, and you can use it when discussing strengths/weaknesses.

The Kaniza Triangle uses the Gestalt laws of closure and figure-ground. We see a white triangle in the middle of the picture, but actually the triangle is not there, we use closure to fill in the space so that the image makes sense to us. The Gestalt theory says that when we see a figure that is incomplete we make a 'whole' shape, which becomes the figure.

Strengths

 * Provides a good explanation for ambiguous figures
 * Can explain figures using his law of closure
 * Can use figure-ground to explain many illusions

Weaknesses
However it cannot explain any distortions

There is a problem with the Kaniza Triangle, according to the law of closure we should see a six pointed star but we see 2 triangles instead.