When you look into the two classrooms in Hardin Hall, the desks appear to form vertical rows, while the seats that are side-by-side in the Hardin auditorium appear to form horizontal rows.The different perceptual groupings of these seats illustrate which principle?
A) closure
B) contiguity
C) nearness
D) figure-ground

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The perceptual grouping of the desks in the two classrooms as vertical rows and the seats in the auditorium as horizontal rows illustrate the principle of nearness. This principle states that objects that are close together in space tend to be grouped together perceptually. In the case of the classrooms, the desks are physically arranged in vertical rows, which makes it easy for our brains to perceive them as such. Similarly, in the auditorium, the seats are side-by-side, which makes it easy for our brains to perceive them as forming horizontal rows.

When You Look into the Two Classrooms in Hardin Hall