VOCABULARY / ENTRY
Proximity
proximity
Elements close together tend to be perceived as a group; greater separation suggests different groups.
Contact information
Only group spacing changes; labels and semantic groups stay intact.
Recognizing it
- Smaller gaps within a group
- Larger gaps between groups
- Spacing reflects semantic relationships
Concept boundary
Distance is one grouping cue. It does not replace semantic headings, form labels, or a correct reading order.
When to consider it
- Organizing labels and fields, related actions, or information groups
- Reducing unnecessary divider lines
When to be cautious
- Suggesting a relationship that does not actually exist
- Relying entirely on whitespace for accessible semantic grouping
Tradeoff
Visual grouping is economical, but excessive compression can impair reading and touch interaction.
Conditional rules · Editorial advice
Related entries
Spacing can help express relationships.
Visible options still need clear grouping.
Sources and what they support
Nearby elements are perceived as belonging together; separated elements are perceived as different groups.
Retrieved: 2026-09-15Definitions reference these sources. Digital specimens, selection advice, relationships, and recipes are editorial work and have not been validated through user research.
Type extensions and implementation notes
Capability tags describe this specimen only; verify the implementation again in a real product.
{
"evidenceType": "A design interpretation of a perceptual principle",
"limit": "This specimen does not measure cognitive effects or prescribe universal pixel values."
}Open the Agent JSON file for this entryThis file repeats every field of this entry verbatim and adds its sources, archive status, and editorial scope.