What is the role of psychology in design? The 21st-century designer can create extraordinary experiences for their audience by better understanding human behavior.
The skills required to design websites go far beyond aesthetics. Visual communication is key to any product’s purpose and function.
In this article, we’ll discuss Gestalt psychology, a well-known psychological theory in the design field. A brief explanation of what it means for the design world will show you how to build a website.
What’s Gestalt psychology?
Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka, and Kurt Koffka created Gestalt psychology in the early 20th century.
Koffka’s brief manifesto summarizes the essence of Gestalt psychology. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The Gestalt theory teaches that the human eye can recognize patterns and group them to form a whole.
Humans see the world in the simplest way possible. The brain organizes the patterns it recognizes to help understand more.
What does Gestalt theory mean?
Gestalt, a psychological theory explaining how visual imagery is perceived by the brain, can be used to improve web design. It is crucial to arrange functional elements in a way that users can reach their goals.
Gestalt theory provides a view of our users and tells us a lot about their reactions to visual data. It is possible to use these principles to develop a more complex design language.
5 Gestalt design principles for web design
In the following section, we will discuss five design principles that are derived from Gestalt theory. These principles are best for beginners. You can use them to design your website.
- Proximity
- Similarity
- Continuity
- Closure
- Symmetry
1. Proximity
The Gestalt principle states that proximity and relatedness can be created through distance. While pieces may seem more connected than they are, close proximity can reveal a whole new story.
How can we use the Gestalt principle of proximity to improve visual communication?
A close visual arrangement can help visitors to be more easily confused. You should not place elements that are closely related to one another.
When building your website’s layout, you will need to leave space between various pieces of content. When building your website’s layout, you will need to create space between different pieces of content. For example, your navigation menu and blog posts will be distinct. Your logo shouldn’t be too close or too far from the homepage’s main picture.
The principle of proximate can be used to reinforce a message or to help website visitors reach a goal. An organized layout with written details and promotional images will immediately show that each element is important to attend the event.
2. Similarity
Similarity according to Gestalt theory is a sign that there is connectedness. Visuals with similar characteristics such as color, font size, or texture will communicate that they are related.
User experience can be improved by using similar web design elements. The similarity in web design can help improve user experience. It will be easier for users to use the same color throughout your website, such as “Register”, or “Sign up,”
This Gestalt principle, on the other hand, can help you to organize and separate material on your website. Distinguishing the look of certain website elements will avoid the principle of similarity–emphasizing to the reader that they have a separate function, and helping certain aspects of your site stand out.
3. Continuity
When one visual element aligns with another, it creates a unified path for your eyes to follow. This principle is used often in logo design and typography. This principle reveals that human eyes are drawn to consistent patterns and love being guided.
Designers should be aware of the principle of continuity. This principle is a key concept for designers. It is well-known that viewers are more likely than others to navigate information if it has a clear path.
Top websites provide a clear, systematic experience for users. The principle of continuity is helpful here.
Your web design can make a positive user experience. Pay attention to content that is consistent in its patterns. To ensure that your website visitors have a positive experience, make sure they are following the same patterns as you.
4. Closure
Gestalt theory suggests that our brains cooperate to understand visual compositions. According to the Gestalt design principle of closure, our brain recognizes an image that is incomplete but can be recognized immediately.
Combining familiar shapes and patterns is one of the most popular design trends. Whitespace is a smart and stylish way for people to click on your website.
Completeness is a principle that has equal strategic and aesthetic value. It can be applied to your website design to hide or reveal certain parts. This is a great way for users to see the whole picture. It will also make browsing easier and more engaging.
5. Symmetry
In Gestalt theory, symmetry is also identified as a unifying factor. The German term for “pregnant”, or “good figure”, refers to the desire to process visual information in order.
The orderly arrangement of symmetrical pictures makes them appear as one group. This design principle allows you to see symmetry in a different way and how it fosters harmony within a composition.
This can cause a web design to be too symmetrical. Visitors will find your site more interesting if it has a solid foundation.
