This theory was supported by previous research that looked at the differences of retrieval, or access to stored information, between words, sentences and images.
By comparison, words, which are only associated with one code in memory, are harder to recall (McBride & Cutting, 2016). Having these memories tagged with multiple cues makes it easier to retrieve information. The two codes associated with the image allow for more than one cue, or stimulus, that help us to retrieve memories ( click here for more information on Dual-Coding Theory). In this context, code refers to the way in which we organize new information when it is stored in our memory. In contrast, words only allow for a verbal code. This means that by studying a picture, you are storing both an image code (the picture) and a verbal code (the description for the image). First proposed in 1975, the theory suggested that pictures, unlike words, allow for a process of dual coding. What makes it so much easier for us to remember a picture rather than words? Allan Paivio answered this question with his Dual-Coding Theory. In the example of the coverage offered by each of the four telecommunications companies, visually, you immediately recognize that Verizon has a lot more colored territory than any other company and then remember that information in the future ( click here for more information on how the picture superiority effect influences advertisements). In contrast, when you’re given a lovely picture, complete with color, the differences are much more distinctive and memorable. Secondly, they’re incredibly difficult to remember because you have to memorize all the numbers involved while associating those numbers with the corresponding company. First, they’re not super interesting facts.
Let’s think about this: you’re asked to read a paragraph full of statistical facts.
Experience the speed and power in more places.” Available in over 500 cities, Verizon 4G LTE covers almost 97% of the U.S. “Among the four major wireless carriers, only Verizon’s 4G network is 100% 4G LTE the gold standard of wireless technology. This is a perfect example of the picture superiority effect, the phenomenon in which people are better at remembering images than they are at remembering words ( click here for a quick, fun video that explains this phenomenon). Why would this be true? It has to do with the way that we encode, or initially learn, information.
But by presenting the information in a picture (like that shown below), you can easily discern and remember the differences between the coverage of four telecommunication companies. When the information is laid out in text, I bet that you, the consumer, would have a much harder time articulating and remembering the information. Have you ever looked at the coverage map for a telecommunications company, like Verizon, and wondered why a company would choose to spend the money on a colored picture instead of just presenting the information in the paragraph? I mean, wouldn’t it be easier and cheaper to just write it all out? Probably, but it wouldn’t be as effective.īelow is a paragraph that describes Verizon’s coverage in the U.S., and a corresponding image that displays the data.