A Guide to Gestalt Principles

The Gestalt principles are a set of psychological theories that describe human perception, both in the things they see around them and in the experiences of their lives. In modern German, the term “Gestalt” loosely translates into “the way that something is put together” [1].

First explored in a 1923 paper called “Laws of Organization in Perceptual Forms” by Max Wertheimer, the Gestalt principles have evolved over time and adapted to different industries. Graphic designers, counsellors, and educators use these principles to influence how people view their experiences, perceive the world, learn new things, or interact with marketing. 

What are the Gestalt principles?

In the first paper to discuss the topic, Wertheimer noted instances where humans perceive something differently than it truly is. He also revealed his theory that perception could shape vision and other human senses [2]. Each of these observations became a Gestalt principle. 

Designers and educators can relate the Gestalt principles directly to graphic design and education materials because they speak in a literal sense to what your eyes see as you read a page or learn from study materials. Other professionals, such as mental health counsellors, adopt the principles to examine how others perceive reality and how those perceptions lead them to act a certain way. 

Over time, and as people began to apply the Gestalt principles in practical ways, many professionals started following a more streamlined model with four, five, or six principles. Six commonly used Gestalt principles today include similarity, continuity, closure, proximity, figure-ground, and symmetry.

Similarity 

The Gestalt principle of similarity states that humans will naturally group items together when they notice similarities between them. You perceive those items as connected to one another. If you are working on a visual design, such as for a website, you might use similarity to visually connect items on the page. Conversely, you may allow certain design elements to stand out by making them different from surrounding areas. For example, you might place a big button with a contrasting colour on your website to give users clear directions for signing up for your newsletter. 

Continuity 

According to the principle of continuity, humans perceive items on a curve or line as being connected to one another. Your eye naturally follows curves, even if something intersects to break those curves. Imagine an image of a tree with a curved line behind it to represent the horizon. Even though the tree interrupts the horizon line, you see the line as a connected, fluid object and the tree as a separate object. 

Closure

The principle of closure speaks to the phenomenon of human perception in which our brains fill in missing information to complete an image. Sometimes called reification, an example of this is a shape drawn with dashed or dotted lines. You understand these images to be what they are—a circle, diamond, or triangle, for example. In design, this principle allows you to use negative space to give viewers the illusion of an image without needing to create the entire image. 

Proximity

Humans tend to believe items are connected when they view objects grouped near one another. A simple example is the words on the page you’re currently reading. You understand that the grouped letters are words, and the spaces separate them from each other so you can easily read the text. Graphic designers or educators might use proximity to group items together while designing advertising or educational materials so viewers can see the relationship between them, such as by biscuits in an advert for tea to drive sales. 

Figure-ground

The figure-ground principle refers to humans’ tendency to see a focal point as the subject of a scene and everything else as a background. Have you ever seen a black-and-white image in which the black shapes form a picture while the white shapes form a second picture? The first time you view the image, you will likely focus on one shape or the other instead of seeing both at the same time. That’s because your brain tries to make sense of what it sees according to the figure-ground principle. 

Symmetry or good figure

The law of good figure, also called symmetry or prägnanz, means that your brain will try to make sense of shapes it doesn’t understand in the simplest way possible. For example, when you look at a web page filled with design elements, you will mentally separate those elements into content blocks. A commonly used example of good figure design is to imagine the logo for the Olympics in a black silhouette. Even though the shape itself is a line that curves around and around, your brain still recognises it for the logo you are familiar with.

Who uses Gestalt principles?

Graphic designers, therapists, and educators are amongst the primary users of Gestalt principles. Examine these careers more closely to understand how Gestalt principles play a role in their work.

*Note: Salary information based on June 2024 data from Glassdoor 

Graphic designers 

Average annual salary: £29,072 [3]

Requirements: To become a graphic designer, you can take a course or demonstrate your skills through a portfolio to get a job.

Graphic designers use Gestalt principles to understand the link between design elements and human perception. Not only can Gestalt principles make graphic designs more appealing and exciting, but they can also influence how people feel about products showcased in an advert or an experience with a website. 

Substance misuse and mental health counsellors

Average annual salary: £24,369 to £31,715 [4, 5]

Requirements: You will need at least a diploma in counselling or psychotherapy to become a counsellor. Some positions require more training, such as a master’s degree or doctorate.

Substance misuse and mental health counsellors sometimes use Gestalt principles to help their clients focus on how experiences happening right now affect their lives. The Gestalt approach encourages therapists and their clients to understand the context of why those events are happening and how to move forward. Gestalt therapy may also help treat mental health conditions like low self-esteem, depression, or anxiety. 

Teachers

Average annual salary: £33,588 [6]

Requirements: The precise requirements to become a teacher vary from region to region but typically include a bachelor’s degree and qualified teacher status.

Educators, either those directly teaching students in a classroom setting or any other education professionals who create lesson plans, may use Gestalt principles to help understand how students perceive the material presented to them. For example, teachers can plan lessons that build off of concepts related to each other. Another example of Gestalt principles in action might be including a “review” section in a lesson plan to show students a larger view of how the material works together (continuity). 

Next steps with Coursera

The Gestalt principles are psychological theories that explain how humans perceive visual information. These principles are used by graphic designers, therapists, and educators to influence how people see and understand the world around them.

To learn more about designing with Gestalt principles, consider earning your Google UX Design Professional Certificate on Coursera. This course can help you prepare for a job as a User Experience (UX) Designer, User Interface (UI) Designer, or Interaction Designer in as little as six months.