Watch
Gestalt: proximity vs common region 0:42
A 42-second explainer of Gestalt: proximity vs common region, narrated over the same demo you can try yourself.
Try the interactive Gestalt: proximity vs common region demo
What this video covers
Both group separate items, but in different ways. Proximity groups by closeness - things near each other belong together. Common region groups by shared space - items within one boundary belong together, even if something closer lies outside. When they conflict, the boundary usually takes precedence.
Same four dots, same distances - but draw a line around the two that sit farthest apart and they snap into a pair, overruling the spacing entirely. That is the order of power: a boundary beats nearness.