05 · Seeing
Law of Uniform Connectedness
Things joined by a line, or by a shared color, look more related than things that aren't.
Evidence: Holds upWhat we do with it
- 01
A line between two things is a stronger tie than putting them near each other.
- 02
Connect the steps of a process, so the order is obvious at a glance.
- 03
Watch for accidental connections. A stray divider can join things you meant to keep apart.
Examples
Getting it wrong, getting it right.
Don't
A three-step checkout shows three numbered circles with no line between them. People can't tell whether they're steps, options or tabs.
Do
The same circles joined by a line, filled in as each step is done. It reads as a sequence before anyone reads a word.
The evidence
What the research says.
Connected things group strongly, and in Stephen Palmer and Irvin Rock's demonstrations connection beat both closeness and likeness. Their bigger claim, that the eye joins connected regions before applying any other grouping rule, has not held up as stated: Shihui Han and colleagues found in 1999 that people grouped by closeness as fast as by connection. That connection is a strong cue isn't in doubt.
Sources
- Palmer, S., & Rock, I. (1994). Rethinking perceptual organization: The role of uniform connectedness. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 1(1).
- Han, S., Humphreys, G. W., & Chen, L. (1999). Uniform connectedness and classical Gestalt principles of perceptual grouping. Perception & Psychophysics, 61(4).
Last reviewed November 7, 2026. How we keep this current