What does Gestalt Psychology assert about how perception is structured?

Gestalt Psychology asserts that perception is inherently structured and organized, emphasizing that our minds perceive objects as whole forms rather than merely a collection of individual components. This approach suggests that when we interact with our environment, we tend to organize sensory input into a coherent whole based on certain principles, such as similarity, proximity, closure, and good continuation. These principles illustrate that perception does not happen randomly; rather, our cognitive processes actively shape how we interpret sensory information.

Gestalt theorists argue that the whole is different from the sum of its parts, meaning that we can perceive complex patterns and relationships in our environment naturally and automatically. This perspective has significantly influenced our understanding of visual perception and has been foundational in various fields, including psychology, design, and even education. Understanding this structured nature of perception allows us to grasp how we perceive, interpret, and react to the world around us more effectively.