Which effect suggests that pictures are better remembered than words?

The picture superiority effect is a well-documented phenomenon in cognitive psychology indicating that images are generally remembered more effectively than verbal information such as words. This effect is grounded in the idea that visual information tends to create stronger memory traces due to its rich, detailed, and often emotionally engaging nature.

When people are presented with both pictures and words, research has shown that they are more likely to recall information conveyed through pictures later on. This enhanced recall can be attributed to several factors, including the dual-code theory, which suggests that information can be encoded both visually and verbally, thereby creating multiple pathways for retrieval. Images can also facilitate better organization of information and make it more distinctive, which contributes to easier retrieval from memory.

Other options, while related, do not specifically encapsulate this phenomenon. For example, the image benefit effect emphasizes the advantages of visual materials but does not directly address the comparative retention of pictures over words. Memory enhancement theory generally refers to various methods that boost memory retention, not specifically to visual items. The visual retention hypothesis focuses on how visual stimuli may be retained but does not capture the comparative strength of memory for pictures over words as clearly as the picture superiority effect does. This makes the picture superiority effect the most appropriate and accurate term in this context