What are the Gestalt Principles?

The human brain processes up to 11 million bits of data each second, with 80% of all sensory data entering through the visual cortex. Our brains need help making sense of all that visual data to avoid sensory overload. That's where design comes in. Successful brands apply Gestalt principles to visual and UX design for intuitive, eye-catching user experiences.

Read on to learn more about:

• What Gestalt principles are and why they matter
• 4 key ideas behind the Gestalt theory
• 11 Gestalt principles of web design
• How to apply Gestalt design principles

What are Gestalt principles?

Gestalt principles explain how the human mind organizes visual information and stimuli into patterns. Grouping individual elements into a unified whole helps us digest what we see more easily.

Why do Gestalt principles matter?

Gestalt principles help designers increase usability and user engagement with captivating patterns and clear visual hierarchy that the brain understands intuitively. When designers organize shapes, colors, negative space, and grids into patterns, design becomes more than a sum of its parts—it feels like an “aha” moment. Designers can apply Gestalt principles to:

• Structure content so that it’s easy to understand.
• Choose visual components to create cohesive user experiences.
• Highlight user interface elements to drive interaction.
• Create intuitive products that solve users’ problems.

From Gestalt psychology to product design

Czech psychologist Max Wertheimer and German psychologists Wolfgang Köhler and Kurt Koffka founded Gestalt psychology in the early 1900s. The trio summarized their observations on human perception in the Gestalt principles of perception (aka Gestalt laws). According to these Gestalt psychologists, humans recognize that the whole is more important than its individual parts. Gestalt principles are now a mainstay in design, education, and product development.

4 key drivers of Gestalt theory

According to Gestalt theory, we rely on past experiences to interpret our environment in four key ways:

• Emergence describes how we see an entire shape or object emerge from a bunch of random components or shapes. We see the whole before we notice its individual parts.
• Reification explains how we mentally add details to a design’s negative space to recognize forms. We use familiar patterns or mental models to complete an image.
• Multistability covers how we can perceive objects in more than one way, shifting between different views of the same image.
• Invariance refers to our ability to identify similar objects even if their color, scale, weight, or angle differs.

11 Gestalt principles of perception—and how to use them

Want to create visually appealing, user-centric experiences? Find your design direction with 11 key Gestalt principles:

1. Proximity

According to the principle of proximity, we see a relationship between elements placed together. For example, we associate an icon with text when they’re near each other.

2. Similarity

People instinctively group visual elements that are similar in shape, color, or size together. As the similarity principle says, we tend to relate like with like.

3. Continuity

The principle of continuity explains that people perceive items on a line or curve as related. Aligning elements on a screen can guide users to key information and interactions.

4. Closure

We perceive an object as complete even if it isn’t. We seek closure, filling in missing information to complete a shape. To see the closure principle in action, draw a circle with a dotted line, then ask others what they see. People are likely to call it a circle, rather than scattered dots.

5. Figure-Ground

The principle of figure-ground explains how we see figures in the foreground or background of an image. Think of Rubin’s vase: a white vase against a black background. But if you focus on the black background, you see two faces in profile.

6. Prägnanz

Our brains tend to simplify ambiguous or complex images, according to the law of prägnanz (the German word for “good figure”). Consider the Olympic logo: We intuitively recognize overlapping circles, instead of random curved lines.

7. Symmetry

The symmetry principle states that people crave balance and order. Many successful logos use symmetry to appeal to users—think of Adidas, Target, and Starbucks.

8. Connectedness

People intuitively relate items with a visual connection, such as bullet points or dropdown menu items. This is known as the connectedness principle.

9. Common region

We perceive items grouped within a closed region as related to each other. To see the common region law at work, just check out a web page. The grouping of modules, sidebars, tabs, and accordions should feel logical and intuitive.

10. Focal point

The focal point principle describes how a unique or different graphic design element grabs our attention. A focal point can direct users to key content or calls to action.

11. Common fate

We tend to see elements moving in the same direction as related, sharing a common fate or outcome— like animations guiding users through a workflow.

Conclusion

The Gestalt Principles are foundational concepts in psychology and design, emphasizing how humans naturally perceive patterns and organize visual information. By exploring principles such as proximity, similarity, closure, continuity, and figure-ground, we gain insights into how our brains group elements and create meaningful interpretations of the world. These principles are widely applied in various fields, including user interface design, marketing, architecture, and art, to enhance functionality, aesthetics, and communication. Understanding and utilizing Gestalt Principles empower creators to design more intuitive and engaging experiences, reflecting the profound interplay between perception and design.