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The Spatial Memory Game: Testing the Relationship Between Spatial Language, Object Knowledge, and Spatial Cognition
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Symbol superiority: Why $ is better remembered than 'dollar'
Brady R T Roberts1, Colin M MacLeod1, Myra A Fernandes1
1Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Cognition
|June 7, 2023
Summary
Graphic symbols enhance memory recall and recognition compared to words. This finding supports dual-coding theory, suggesting symbols create both visual and verbal codes for better memorability.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Human Memory
- Information Processing
Background:
- Dual-coding theory posits that information encoded through both visual and verbal pathways is better remembered.
- Pictures generally yield superior memory recall compared to words due to dual coding.
- The coding nature of graphic symbols (e.g., $, %) remains underexplored in relation to memory.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether graphic symbols are primarily verbally coded like words or visually coded like pictures.
- To determine if graphic symbols offer a memory advantage over words.
- To test the applicability of dual-coding theory to graphic symbol memory.
Main Methods:
- Four experiments were conducted using graphic symbols and words as stimuli.
- Memory was assessed via free recall and old-new recognition tasks.
- Experiment 4 directly compared memory for symbols, pictures, and words.
Main Results:
- All four experiments consistently showed a memory benefit for graphic symbols over words.
- Graphic symbols were remembered better than words across different memory tasks.
- Machine learning models predicted memory performance based on inherent stimulus memorability.
Conclusions:
- Graphic symbols are better remembered than words, aligning with dual-coding theory.
- Symbols appear to invoke visual imagery, similar to pictures, contributing to enhanced memory.
- Symbols may provide a visual anchor for abstract concepts, improving their memorability.
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