Explore the concept of the Law of Proximity and Gestalt psychology, learn about how the law is used, and understand several Law of Proximity examples.
Updated: 02/11/2022
Understanding the Law of Proximity
The Law of Proximity: Definition
Gestalt psychology is a subfield of psychology that focuses on human perception. Psychologists from this school of thought theorize and describe how people organize and interpret visual stimuli. The term itself means unified whole, and the phrase "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts" is a famous expression used to illustrate some of the basic Gestalt ideas and principles. The general Gestalt view is that people perceive individual pieces of visual information (e.g., shapes, symbols) in relation to one another depending on the ways in which they are organized or configured. There are several laws of perceptual organization that describe these effects, and they were introduced by Max Wertheimer.
One example of a Gestalt principle is the law of proximity, which is also known as grouping or the grouping principle. According to this principle, objects that are close together are often perceived as belonging together as a group. For example, take a moment to look at Figure 1.
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Since the lines in Figure 1 are close together, people often view them as columns.
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In contrast, the lines in Figure 2 are often viewed simply as a series of lines since they are not grouped in a way that affects perception.
The Phi Phenomenon and Proximity Perception
The phi phenomenon is a type of optical illusion in which stationary objects or pictures appear to be moving when they are placed side-by-side and then rapidly illuminated in succession. For example, movie theaters and casinos often use this method on signs or advertisements to create the sense that the sign is moving. This is possible because the illuminated objects are close together and arranged in a specific pattern. Older styles of animation are another example of the phi phenomenon. Older cartoons are made of a series of still drawings that are presented rapidly to give the viewers the sense that the drawings are moving. This only occurs when the individual images are presented in a close enough proximity of each other; the sense of motion diminishes if their presentation is too slow or far apart in time.
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Definition of the Law of Proximity
The Law of Proximity states that objects that are near or 'proximate' to each other tend to be grouped together. It is part of the Gestalt Laws of Perceptual Organization and Gestalt psychology, which was founded by Max Wertheimer. Wertheimer noted that rapid sequences of events create the illusion of motion. An example of this would be movies or motion pictures. Movies are actually a rapid succession of still images that create a seamless visual experience. This is also known as the phi phenomenon.
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The Law of Proximity: How it Works
- The law of proximity is about the physical distance between objects or things.
- Things or objects that are close together are perceived as a group or unit.
- Things or objects that are not close together are not perceived as belonging together.
- The closer together the things or objects, the more likely they will be perceived as a group. In other words, the bigger the physical space between objects, the less likely they will be grouped or associated based on proximity.
Uses and Functions
The law of proximity can be used to teach children new concepts or categories of objects. For example, some species of animals live and travel together in groups. Seeing a group of new animals can help children learn important facts about them, such as the features and behaviors that are typical of the type of animal. Also, seeing different types of animals in groups that are separated by proximity can help them understand the important differences between them, such as learning the differences between lions and hyenas.
The law of proximity is also used to categorize sports teams. Members of the same team often stay within proximity of each other to keep themselves distinct from members of an opposing team. For example, football players often huddle together between plays, and they often group together on the same side and area of the football field at the beginning of a play.
The Law of Proximity: Psychology Examples
There are several examples of the law of proximity occurring in the real-world, even though most people probably aren't aware of Gestalt psychology.
Example 1
Marching bands often use the law of proximity during various performances, such as during half-time shows of football games. The individual band members often group together in ways that are perceived as shapes, letters, and even words. For example, marching bands often group together to give the perception of their school's initials. They also often group together to give the perception of shapes, like stars, squares, or pyramids.
Example 2
Fruits and vegetables are often grouped together at markets and grocery stores. Even similar varieties of fruit tend to be located within close proximity of each other. For example, different varieties of apples are typically grouped close together, and apples are often positioned near other similar fruit (e.g., pears). The same is typically true of citrus fruit, such as oranges, lemons, and grapefruit. In fact, food items are typically organized this way in general.
Example 3
Similar species of animals are typically close in proximity in zoos. For example, zoos often have reptile exhibits that include a wide variety of reptiles, like snakes and lizards. Aquariums contain different varieties of fish. And primate exhibits often group chimpanzees, orangutans, and rhesus monkeys close together in proximity. In fact, the law of proximity can often be observed in nature, such as in the case of flower fields and forests; flowers and trees of the same variety tend to grow together in close proximity.
Laws of Perceptual Organization
The law of proximity is just one of the laws of perceptual organization found in Gestalt psychology. Here are some of the other laws:
Law of Similarity
According to the law of similarity, things that appear to be similar are often grouped together. For example, dots of the same color are often perceived as belonging together.
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This law can work in conjunction with the law of proximity; seeing similar things that are close together in proximity can be interpreted as a cue that they belong to the same category or group.
Law of Pragnanz
According to the law of pragnanz, people tend to interpret images or visual stimuli in the simplest way possible. By "simple", Gestalt psychologists mean visual stimuli that are symmetrical and that have fewer elements. For example, the official symbol of the Olympics is perceived as a simple logo rather than as five separate rings. However, this symbol is only interpreted as a single object because the rings are close enough in proximity, giving the perception that they are all connected.
The Law of Continuity
According to the law of continuity, people tend to perceive lines as continuing along the smoothest path possible. In other words, objects arranged in a line or path are perceived to be more similar than those not arranged on a line or path. This is related to the law of proximity in that objects that are too far apart may not be perceived as a line.
The Law of Closure
According to the law of closure, things that are grouped together are often perceived as a whole. For example, take a moment to look at the image of the cube.
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Even though the image is not technically a cube, it is often perceived as such. This is because the separate pieces of the image are close enough in proximity so that they look like they form a whole cube.
The Law of Proximity: Significance
The law of proximity has had a significant impact on the field of perception and psychology. For example, it has been used to explain decision-making processes in terms of value judgments. Options that are physically closer can often be viewed as more desirable or more attractive. This appears to be especially true if the attractive option is paired with a less-attractive option. Gestalt principles of perception have also been implemented in multimedia design, such as in web pages and interactive media.
Changing Uses for the Law of Proximity
As previously mentioned, the law of proximity has been incorporated in technology. These modern uses of Gestalt principles illustrate just how effective they are at shaping the way people perceive information. For example, companies incorporate Gestalt principles to enhance user experiences by making websites and digital products easier to understand and use. Companies often use them to convey information, and they're often used to advertise brands and logos.
Lesson Summary
Gestalt psychology is an area of study that attempts to explain how people interpret visual stimuli. There are several laws of perceptual organization that were introduced by Max Wertheimer. An example is the law of proximity. According to this law, things that are close together are often perceived as belonging together as a part of a group. The phi phenomenon is related to the law of proximity, and is when stationary objects or pictures appear to be moving when they are placed side-by-side and then rapidly illuminated.
There are several examples of the law of proximity in the real-word, including the ways in which items are often organized in stores. The law of proximity is related to other laws of perceptual organization, including the law of similarity, the law of pragnanz, the law of continuity, and the law of closure. The law of proximity has been significant in a variety of fields today, including psychology, perception, technology, and advertising.
Perceptual Organization
The Laws of Perceptual Organization are a set of perceptual organization principles that explain how our minds group smaller objects together to form large objects. Likewise, the Law of Proximity is a visual and perceptual organization concept that states that when movement and grouping happen visually, our minds fill in any missing information. 'The whole is greater than a sum of its individual parts' has influenced the discovery of phenomena that often occur during the visual perception of things we see.
Basically, the Law of Proximity states that the brain more closely associates objects close to each other than it does when objects are spaced far apart. It is thought this kind of clustering occurs because humans often have a natural inclination to want to group and organize things in a neat and organized manner. In the example below, the blue circles on the left present as a group of vertical circles. The blue circles on the right appear to be grouped in two horizontal rows.
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In the example below, a flock of birds appear to be flying in a 'V' formation. This is also true for airplanes and air show formations that display flying skills. When this law is used, the viewer is more likely to gather the visual data and proximities in what's being presented in order to look for underlying messages within the image so he or she can respond accordingly.
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A great example of this concept would be the art of Claude Monet. Monet's art is not composed of paint strokes, but is actually colored dots/dabs organized to form a picture. If you stand close to an actual Monet, you would be able to see the individual dots. However, in order to see the picture as a whole, you would have to stand away from the picture. Standing away from the picture visually organizes the dots into an image organized by principles such as the Law of Proximity.
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Lesson Summary
The Law of Proximity states objects that are near or 'proximate' to each other tend to be grouped together. It is part of the Gestalt Laws of Perceptual Organization and Gestalt psychology, which was founded by Max Wertheimer. For example, movies are actually a rapid succession of still images that create a seamless visual experience. This is also known as the phi phenomenon. The Laws of Perceptual Organization are a set of perceptual organization principles that explain how smaller objects are grouped to form large objects. Likewise, the Law of Proximity is a visual and perceptual organization concept that states that when movement and grouping happen visually, our minds fill in any missing information.
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Video Transcript
Definition of the Law of Proximity
The Law of Proximity states that objects that are near or 'proximate' to each other tend to be grouped together. It is part of the Gestalt Laws of Perceptual Organization and Gestalt psychology, which was founded by Max Wertheimer. Wertheimer noted that rapid sequences of events create the illusion of motion. An example of this would be movies or motion pictures. Movies are actually a rapid succession of still images that create a seamless visual experience. This is also known as the phi phenomenon.
Perceptual Organization
The Laws of Perceptual Organization are a set of perceptual organization principles that explain how our minds group smaller objects together to form large objects. Likewise, the Law of Proximity is a visual and perceptual organization concept that states that when movement and grouping happen visually, our minds fill in any missing information. 'The whole is greater than a sum of its individual parts' has influenced the discovery of phenomena that often occur during the visual perception of things we see.
Basically, the Law of Proximity states that the brain more closely associates objects close to each other than it does when objects are spaced far apart. It is thought this kind of clustering occurs because humans often have a natural inclination to want to group and organize things in a neat and organized manner. In the example below, the blue circles on the left present as a group of vertical circles. The blue circles on the right appear to be grouped in two horizontal rows.
|
In the example below, a flock of birds appear to be flying in a 'V' formation. This is also true for airplanes and air show formations that display flying skills. When this law is used, the viewer is more likely to gather the visual data and proximities in what's being presented in order to look for underlying messages within the image so he or she can respond accordingly.
|
A great example of this concept would be the art of Claude Monet. Monet's art is not composed of paint strokes, but is actually colored dots/dabs organized to form a picture. If you stand close to an actual Monet, you would be able to see the individual dots. However, in order to see the picture as a whole, you would have to stand away from the picture. Standing away from the picture visually organizes the dots into an image organized by principles such as the Law of Proximity.
|
Lesson Summary
The Law of Proximity states objects that are near or 'proximate' to each other tend to be grouped together. It is part of the Gestalt Laws of Perceptual Organization and Gestalt psychology, which was founded by Max Wertheimer. For example, movies are actually a rapid succession of still images that create a seamless visual experience. This is also known as the phi phenomenon. The Laws of Perceptual Organization are a set of perceptual organization principles that explain how smaller objects are grouped to form large objects. Likewise, the Law of Proximity is a visual and perceptual organization concept that states that when movement and grouping happen visually, our minds fill in any missing information.
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- Activities
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Real World Example
Text-based examples are a great way to help students begin to understand a concept, but when they can find examples of that concept for themselves in the real world, their understanding becomes very strong. This activity is designed to help students develop a deep understanding of the Law of Proximity by finding examples of this phenomenon in the real world.
Materials
- Students will need a notepad and/or electronic device for taking notes and drawing pictures of examples found in the real world.
- Access to research material (such as the internet or a library) for further research if necessary.
Instructions
- Students should review the lesson until they have a strong grasp on the concept of the Law of Proximity. If desired, students can research the Gestalt principles of grouping further before starting this project.
- Students should look around for examples of the Law of Proximity in Perceptual Organization in their environments. They might focus on:
- A nearby park
- A room in the house
- A library
- Anywhere that the student frequents
- Students should find between 3 and 5 examples (to be determined by student skill level) of the concept.
- For each example the student should:
- Describe where the example was found.
- Explain what the object of the example is.
- Discuss why it represents the Law of Proximity and how it shows perceptual organization in the environment.
- Draw the object in the environment to illustrate how the law applies.
Example
- A student might notice that a set of books on a bookshelf represents the Law of Proximity and group well. To write the report, the student might say:
- Books were observed on the shelf of a bookcase in the library.
- Five books were seen pressed tightly together with a bookend ensuring that they stayed pressed together. A space was observed on the shelf between the five books and other books.
- The five books pressed together present as a group and can be assumed to be a grouping of some type because of their enforced proximity to each other.
- {The student would also include a picture of the example.}
What is an example of the Gestalt principle of proximity?
The law of proximity is used in marketing and advertising. For example, the NBC peacock logo is a collection of separate images that appear to make a whole based on proximity.
What is the law of proximity?
The law of proximity is also known as grouping or the grouping principle. According to this law, objects that are close together are often perceived as belonging together as a group.
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Gestalt's Law of Proximity: Overview & Examples | Laws of Perceptual Organization
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