Picture Supiority Effect

The Picture Superiority Effect is the idea that the brain has a higher retention rate for images rather than text especially over longer periods of time. The effectiveness of the image though is determined by its ability to reinforce the message in the text. They must correlate for the brain to retain the information.

“When we read text alone, we are likely to remember only 10 percent of the information 3 days later. If that information is presented to us as text combined with a relevant image, we are likely to remember 65 percent of the information 3 days later.” – Randy Krum, 2015

Types of image that use the Picture Superiority Effect include charts, graphs, diagrams and data visualisations. These images don’t work alone but increase the effectiveness of the information found in text and helps the brain to retain it longer.
 
One theory suggests that the reason the brain retains image better than text is because the brain has 2 compartments for remembering. One for image and one for text. But in the text part image is also encoded as well which suggest the picture superiority effect. Because the brain uses 2 memory stores for image and text is often considered to be why we have high level of retention.
 

"Because pictures are often encoded in both memory stores whereas words are not; pictures invoke naming upon study more often than words invoke imagery." - Georg Stenberg, 2006

Of course some type of images work better than others, colour is major factor as well as clarity, the image must relate to the text for the effect to be achieved. Using this logic in infographics in makes for a great way to present information concerning science as words can over complicate and make ideas and information seem more complicated than they are making it less interesting and therefore less memorable.

“The effect is strongest when the pictures represent common, concrete things compared to more abstract ideas.” – Garr Reynolds, 2007

Using the picture superiority effect in infographics and data visualisation in science could be a key factor in effective imagery. The by using this effect in a considered way people’s retention and interest in science could increase simply by appealing to the brains strengths.

There are 2 theories regarding the Picture Superiority Effect, the 1^st being Paivio and the other Nelson. Paivio theory is that the brain uses 2 different types of coding for pictures, one for visual and one for verbal. Only one set of coding is used for words. When seeing a picture you receive two types of information, one being shapes, size, colour, etc. the other is verbal such as naming these elements as you see them. This increases retention due to there being at least two different ways to represent any image. However because there is an element of the brain processing information this effect is only achieved if given an appropriate amount of time as the brain takes longer to view and process and image than it does to read a word.

Nelson’s theory differs somewhat. He suggests that pictures and words both have a single store but rather pictures have a much larger store than words. In essence pictures contain far more information for our senses than words do which in turn gives them a much higher chance of retention and are easily processed into memory. Nelson experimented with this theory and noticed that to achieve maximum effect images had to be somewhat distinctive of each other rather than looking similar else the brain does not retain the information so well. They theorised that images might be remembered better by the distinctive look compared surrounding imagery.

Using these theories when considering infographics and visualisation in science could be a major factor in creating really memorable and engaging visuals so as not only to draw the audience in but also so they remember the information they are reading. For infographics the information is key and trying to increase retention of information is a must for designers.