law of proximity

or Law of Prox·im·i·ty

[ law uhv prok-sim-i-tee ]

noun

1. (in Gestalt psychology) the idea that things that are closer together are perceived as more related than things that are far apart:

   Marketers and advertisers can take advantage of the law of proximity to deliver a memorable and eye-catching visual message.

2. the idea that people are more likely to form relationships with the people who are physically closest to them:

   The law of proximity suggests that people who sit closer together in the same office or classroom are more likely to form relationships than those who sit farther apart.

Word History and Origins

Origin of law of proximity¹

First recorded in 1720–30