Law of ClosureĪccording to this law, individuals prefer whole and complete forms. Let’s see what are the main laws theorized by experts. According to the principles of the Gestalt psychology, the perception of an object cannot be limited to the single elements that compose it or to its shape, but is a process that includes the entire perceptual experience: an overall view of the parts that form a specific object and that have been organized according to precise laws by our brain.

The main idea of this movement can therefore be summarized with the famous maxim “ the whole is different from the sum of its parts”. It follows that our ability to perceive an object is not based solely on how an image is focused by the retina, but on a complex organization that our nervous system carries out. When we observe the surrounding world, we do not perceive stimuli in isolation because our brain tends to collect – automatically and unconsciously – objects and elements that are similar to each other within already stored patterns that allow us to give sense and meaning to what is perceived.

The Gestalt psychology focuses mainly on the way in which people organize and perceive the reality that surrounds them. The Gestalt – from the German “form” – psychology was born in Germany at the beginning of the twentieth century and has as its main spokespeople psychologists Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka and Wolfgang Köhler, who understood that our behaviour is influenced by the way in which reality is perceived, rather than for what it really is. What is the Gestalt psychology and what is it for? The Gestalt in marketing and communication.What is the Gestalt psychology and what is it for?.Let’s see what are the roots and laws of the Gestalt, its main fields of application and some examples of successful application by internationally known brands. One of the psychological movements that has found a wide spectrum of applications in design, architecture, but above all in marketing and communication, is the Gestalt psychology – a theory focused on the study and understanding of the processes that regulate visual perception and the experience of reality. The link between marketing and psychology has become, over the years, even more solid as a result of the changes in consumer habits and needs, and in brand communication, which is increasingly oriented towards innovative forms of communication that can engage the target audience and increase brand awareness. Understanding the reason behind this match is simple: both are dedicated to the study of the mind and human behaviour. Psychology and marketing are two sciences that often meet and influence each other. In this article we delve deeper into what the Gestalt is, how and why to apply it to your marketing and graphic design activities, as well as some successful application examples from international brands. Among the psychological movements that increasingly find application in marketing, communication and graphic design is the Gestalt theory.

When psychology and marketing meet, they can give rise to innovative forms of communication that can capture the attention of consumers and increase brand awareness.

Gestalt principles similarity