Dual-coding theory

Dual-coding theory is a theory of cognition proposed by Allan Paivio of the University of Western Ontario in the late 1960s. It holds that the mind processes information along two distinct but connected channels, a verbal channel for words and a nonverbal channel for sensory imagery, each creating its own representation. Because an item can be coded in both ways, it is more likely to be remembered than one coded only once, which is why concrete words that evoke images are recalled better than abstract ones. The theory distinguishes analogue codes, which keep the perceptual features of what they represent, from symbolic codes, which represent words and ideas arbitrarily. Supporting evidence comes from memory experiments and brain imaging, and the theory has been applied to multimedia learning and the design of educational materials. It is debated: critics note that it ignores other possible codes, and propositional theory and common coding theory offer alternatives.