What is the Gestalt principle that suggests lines or patterns that follow a smooth contour are perceived as part of a whole?

The Gestalt principle of continuity suggests that elements that are arranged in a smooth, continuous line or curve are perceived as being part of a unified whole. This principle emphasizes how our brain tends to interpret visual information in a way that creates a sense of order and predictable pathways. For example, when we see a series of dots arranged in a wavy line, we naturally connect them and perceive them as a single, flowing line rather than as individual, separate points. This tendency helps us make sense of complex visual stimuli by organizing them into recognizable patterns, thereby enhancing our understanding of the overall structure of what we observe.

Other principles, like closure, similarity, and proximity, focus on different aspects of visual perception. Closure involves our ability to see incomplete shapes as complete, similarity pertains to our tendency to group similar items together, and proximity is about how we perceive objects that are close together as belonging to the same group. Each principle highlights specific ways our minds process and interpret visual information, but the continuity principle uniquely addresses the perception of smooth transitions and lines in visual fields.