As you shift from one pattern to the other, you should get a clear sense of what figure-ground organization means. Stimuli that are near each other tend to be grouped together. Stimuli that are similar in size, shape, color, or form tend to be grouped together. For instance, picture two bands marching side by side. Continuation , or continuity.
Perceptions tend toward simplicity and continuity.
It is easier to visualize a wavy line on a squared-off line than it is to see a complex row of shapes. Closure refers to the tendency to complete a figure, so that it has a consistent overall form. Nearness in time and space. Contiguity is often responsible for the perception that one thing has caused another. In addition to these principles, Learning and past experience greatly affect perceptual organization .