The Law of Proximity is a fundamental principle of human perception and states that objects that are close together are perceived as belonging together. Together with other Gestalt principles, it plays an important role in the interpretation of patterns in the brain.
Elements that are closer together are perceived as one unit.
Origin
The Law of Proximity was formulated by Max Wertheimer in 1923 as part of the Gestalt principles. It was developed as part of his research into visual perception and the question of how the brain recognizes patterns and structures.
- Wertheimer, M. (1923). Laws of Organization in Perceptual Forms
- Ellis, W. D. (1938). A Source Book of Gestalt Psychology
Application in UX and UI Design
In UX and UI design, the law of proximity is of central importance when it comes to structuring information and designing user interfaces clearly. If related content or functions are positioned close to each other, the user intuitively recognizes the connection. This facilitates navigation and reduces cognitive load.
A common application is the design of forms. When labels and associated input fields are placed close to each other, their relationship is immediately recognized. Conversely, elements that are far apart are perceived as not belonging together.
The Law of Proximity can also be applied to the design of navigation menus, teasers, footers and many other blocks of information. Any visual structuring that takes the Law of Proximity into account helps the user to quickly find important content and recognize visual hierarchies. This increases the speed of interaction and makes applications or products more user-friendly.
Impact on the User Experience
strongFurther information
- Gestalt Principles of Design — Proximity - Christopher Butler
