FACES / VASE STEREOGRAM

A Demonstration of the Gestalt Principle of Figure and Ground

INTERACTIVE LINK

for

PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, Fourth Edition

PERCEPTUAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FIGURE AND GROUND

The most fundamental Gestalt principle of organization is that we tend to distinguish between figure and ground. The figure is the thing you see while the ground has no specific shape. The figure also tends to appear closer, while the ground appears less localized than the figure. Finally, the shape that has more meaning is usually seen as the figure, whereas the shape with less meaning is usually seen as the ground.

Click here to continue the demonstration

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Take a look at the black and white figure below. Because there are two meaningful organizations, a vase or two faces, it is easy to shift between the two perceptual organizations. Either the vase or the faces can be perceived as the figure.

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Click here to continue the demonstration

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Now look at the stereogram below. This stereogram was made from the black and white image of the vase/faces. The major difference is that the faces now appear closer than the vase. This has the effect of forcing the faces to be the figure and preventing most people from seeing the vase. Click here if you cannot see the entire stereogram

To view the stereogram stare at a glare spot on your monitor until the faces appear in depth.