According to Gestalt psychology, which principle explains why we tend to perceive objects that are close to each other as belonging together?

• A. The principle of figure-ground
• B. The principle of closure
• C. The principle of similarity
• D. The principle of proximity

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that Gestalt psychology focuses on how we naturally organize visual elements into groups or unified wholes.
2. Recognize that the principle of proximity states that objects that are close to each other tend to be perceived as a group or belonging together.
3. Differentiate this from other Gestalt principles: figure-ground involves distinguishing an object from its background, closure involves perceiving incomplete shapes as complete, and similarity involves grouping objects that look alike.
4. Identify that the question asks specifically about perceiving objects close to each other as belonging together, which directly relates to the principle of proximity.
5. Conclude that the principle of proximity best explains why we group nearby objects together in perception.