Image superiority effect: what is it and how does it affect us?

Everyone knows that a picture is worth a thousand words, and it is also remembered much better. This, in fact, is not something new, since Cicero himself, a Roman philosopher, noticed how important images were in memory.

The image superiority effect he comes to name this fact, and we will explain it in more detail below.

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Image superiority effect: what is it?

The image superiority effect is a phenomenon that refers to how images are more easily remembered than words or any data expressed solely orally or in writing.

The idea behind this phenomenon is that human memory is extremely sensitive to symbols or figures, which are more like what they are trying to represent compared to words. What is learned through images remains much longer in memory compared to what is learned orally or in writing.

According to John Medina, only 10% of what we read in a text will end up being remembered after about 3 days. On the other hand, if this information is presented in the form of an image or, even, with a text but exemplified by a photograph, the recall percentage rises to 65%.

It should be said that the superiority of the image does not come by itself. In order to remember the image and the information that is displayed in it, it is necessary that the concept that it tries to represent is concrete.

Theories that explain it

The theoretical foundation behind the image superiority effect is Allan Paivio's dual coding theory. According to Paivio, images have certain advantages compared to images since they pictorial is more easily encoded in memory and can be retrieved in representational form symbolic. On the other hand, in the case of words this is not so simple, since it is more difficult to store them by themselves and later recover them.

Within dual coding theory, memory exists both verbally and through images. That is, we can think and remember by saying phrases to ourselves or using images from those memories. Concrete concepts are remembered through images and can also be stored in the form of words and phrases. Instead, abstract concepts are stored in the form of words.

Other explanations that have been tried to explain why it is easier to remember images that are not words is the degree of familiarity of the object represented in the form of an image compared to doing it in the form of words.

That is to say, every day objects of all kinds are seen, with which our mind is more used to seeing objects for what they are than for how they are represented in writing. It is more natural for our brain to see an apple and remember it as such than not to remember the word 'apple' or a detailed description of this fruit.

An image can be a pictogram or an ideogram, that is, iconic representations of an object or idea, which are, in essence, a schematic but reliable form of what they are trying to represent. Returning to the previous example, seeing a photograph of an apple is easier to remember than having seen the word 'apple', basically because it represents in a very real way what an apple.

The relationship between pictograms and the image superiority effect can be seen on airport security signs. To ensure that travelers do not commit offenses and that they remember the rules, it is normal that in the posters containing images related to what is prohibited are placed on the walls or doors of the place do.

For example, the image of a cigarette with the 'forbidden' symbol, accompanied by the phrase 'forbidden' below. smoking' is something that is much easier to remember and it is clearer that it means no if you put the phrase by itself alone. Another, more abstract case is that of the rule 'do not carry dangerous material' in the form of a bomb or harmful device. In this way, an idea is represented in a more concrete way that, in general, is difficult to represent on paper.

Applications of this useful effect

As it has been observed from the definition of this effect, remembering images better than text without pictorial accompaniment It can have its advantages in multiple aspects, which have already been put to the test since time immemorial..

As we were already commenting at the beginning of the article, Cicero was aware that images were much easier to remember than text or words without being visually exemplified. In other words, this Roman author was already aware of the educational benefits that taking this particular effect into account could entail.

Next we will see three areas of application of the image superiority effect.

1. Education and language learning

In most educational texts, especially those oriented towards compulsory education, the books include images, more or less related to what is being explained in the classroom. This allows, as we already mentioned at the beginning of the article, to increase the memory of the contents of the page.

In addition, the use of images makes it possible to make ideas that, although they are not abstract, do turn out to be somewhat complex, such as photosynthesis, the Krebs cycle or the French revolution, are more easily assimilated.

But there is no doubt in which this effect acquires great importance is in language learning, especially when it comes to learning new vocabulary.

Many language courses make the mistake of trying to get students to memorize lists of words in the language they are learning with the translation into their mother tongue next to it.

This, in addition to being very heavy, means that very few of these words are remembered in the long run. These words are learned out of context, which makes it even more difficult to remember them. This is why many other language courses, which do take into account the effect of superiority of the image, they choose not to put the translation of the word next to the new word, but rather a picture of what it means.

Thus the student will visually associate the new word with its meaning, allowing a greater degree of memory in addition to avoiding confusing some words with others.

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2. Marketing and publicity

In the field of advertising and marketing, images are the most important element when announcing products and services, since they It is what the consumer will remember best..

This is especially useful when the message you are trying to convey is done in the form of other images. For example, when selling a shampoo that is said to rejuvenate hair, ideally, while you are saying the properties of the cosmetic, images of healthy hair are shown, ingredients that it contains, users of the product with satisfaction…

The visual component of the ad, whether it is a TV ad or one that can be found on a magazine, on the subway or wherever, is always more remembered than the message in text or oral form that accompanies.

A well-known case of a television advertisement that takes advantage of this effect is that of a famous hazelnut cream and chocolate that, while singing the ingredients it has, shows those same ingredients to the expectant.

In this way, you will not only remember the song associated with the product, but you will also remember the ingredients it contains, you will take them into account when you go to the supermarket and decide to buy that product.