Diamonds or Squares Illusion

In this Diamonds or Squares Illusion, at first glance, most people will quickly see diamonds that pop off the page. But, if you look closer, you will see that there isn’t a line making those diamonds. Because of the contrast between the black and white lines, your brain just assumes the lines making the diamonds exists.

This is a Gestalt grouping illusion, much like the Kanizsa Triangle, which works by taking advantage of the way our brains process and organize visual information. Our brains have a natural tendency to group similar or related elements together, and to perceive patterns and structures even when they are not explicitly present in the visual stimulus.

If you are interested in learning more about how this Diamonds or Squares Illusion, scroll down to read more about it.

Diamonds or Squares Illusion
Artist Pearl Whitecrow Brown


Table of Contents

What is the Diamonds or Squares Illusion?

The Diamonds or Squares Illusion is an illusion created by Gestalt grouping principles. Gestalt grouping principles are a set of rules that our brains use to organize visual information into meaningful patterns and structures. There are several visual illusions that take advantage of these principles to create striking and often surprising effects.

Overall, gestalt grouping principles play a fundamental role in how our brains process visual information, and there are many illusions that take advantage of these principles to create fascinating and often counterintuitive effects.

How does the Diamonds or Squares Illusion Work?

The Diamonds or Squares Illusion works like other gestalt grouping illusions which work by taking advantage of the way our brains process and organize visual information. Our brains have a natural tendency to group similar or related elements together, and to perceive patterns and structures even when they are not explicitly present in the visual stimulus.

There are several principles of Gestalt psychology that describe how this process works:

  1. Proximity: Objects that are close together tend to be perceived as a group.
  2. Similarity: Objects that are similar in shape, color, or texture tend to be perceived as belonging together.
  3. Closure: Our brains tend to fill in missing information to create a complete shape or structure.
  4. Continuity: Our brains tend to perceive continuous patterns or lines, even if they are interrupted or obscured.
  5. Figure-Ground: Our brains tend to separate the visual field into a foreground object and a background object.

Visual illusions that use Gestalt grouping principles take advantage of these tendencies to create ambiguous or conflicting stimuli that can be interpreted in multiple ways. For example, the famous Rubin’s vase illusion can be perceived as either a vase or two faces, depending on whether you perceive the black or white elements as the foreground object.

Other Gestalt grouping illusions, such as the Kanizsa Triangle, use the principle of closure to create the perception of a complete shape or structure, even when the actual stimulus is incomplete or fragmented.

Overall, Gestalt grouping illusions are a fascinating demonstration of the power and flexibility of our visual system. They show how our brains use fundamental principles of organization and pattern recognition to create a coherent and meaningful perception of the world around us.

Some Similar Illusions

The following are some other gestalt grouping illusions like the Diamonds or Squares Illusion. These all use gestalt grouping principles which are a set of rules that our brains use to organize visual information into meaningful patterns and structures. There are several visual illusions that take advantage of these principles to create striking and often surprising effects. Here are some examples of gestalt grouping illusions:

  1. Figure-ground reversal: In this type of illusion, the foreground and background of an image can be perceived in different ways, depending on how the brain groups the visual elements. For example, the famous Rubin’s vase illusion shows a vase or two faces, depending on how you perceive the figure and ground.
  2. Similarity grouping: This principle states that objects that are similar in shape, color, or texture tend to be perceived as belonging together. One example of an illusion that uses this principle is the “illusory contours” illusion, where the brain perceives contours and shapes that are not actually present in the image.
  3. Proximity grouping: This principle states that objects that are close to each other tend to be perceived as a group. One example of an illusion that uses this principle is the “Kanizsa Triangle” illusion, where three pac-man shapes arranged in a triangle with the “mouths” facing inwards are perceived as a white triangle in the center.
  4. Closure grouping: This principle states that the brain tends to fill in missing information to create a complete shape or structure. One example of an illusion that uses this principle is the “Café Wall” illusion, where a pattern of black and white tiles appears to be tilted or wavy, even though the tiles are all straight and parallel.
  5. Continuity grouping: This principle states that the brain tends to perceive continuous patterns or lines, even if they are interrupted or obscured. One example of an illusion that uses this principle is the “Zöllner Illusion“, where parallel lines appear to be tilted and distorted by oblique lines.

Overall, gestalt grouping principles play a fundamental role in how our brains process visual information, and there are many illusions that take advantage of these principles to create fascinating and often counterintuitive effects.

Discovery of the Diamonds or Squares Illusion

The Diamonds or Squares Illusion works because of Gestalt grouping principles.

Gestalt psychology, which is the basis for understanding Gestalt grouping principles, was developed in the early 20th century by a group of German psychologists, including Max Wertheimer, Wolfgang Köhler, and Kurt Koffka.

Max Wertheimer is often credited with the discovery of Gestalt psychology and the principles of perceptual organization that underlie Gestalt grouping illusions. In 1912, Wertheimer conducted a series of experiments on apparent motion, which involved presenting a sequence of flashing lights that gave the impression of movement. Wertheimer’s research suggested that the perception of motion was not simply a matter of combining static visual elements, but was instead an emergent property of the overall pattern of stimulation.

This idea led to the development of Gestalt psychology and the principles of perceptual organization, which were further elaborated by Köhler and Koffka. The principles of Gestalt psychology have been widely applied in fields such as art, design, and advertising, as well as in neuroscience and cognitive psychology.


References and Resources

In addition to the Diamonds or Squares Illusion, please check out our complete list of illusions.