Introduction to Psychology 10th Edition by Rod Plotnik,Haig Kouyoumdjian

Exercise 18

Learning through Visuals
A large body of research indicates that visual cues help us to better retrieve and remember information. The research outcomes on visual learning make complete sense when you consider that our brain is mainly an image processor, not a word processor. In fact, the part of the brain used to process words is quite small in comparison to the part that processes visual images. Words are abstract and rather difficult for the brain to retain, whereas visuals are concrete and, as such, more easily remembered. To illustrate, think back to having to learn a set of new vocabulary words each week in school. Now, think back to the first kiss you had, the high school prom, or your 16th birthday party. Most likely, you had to expend great effort to remember the vocabulary words. In contrast, when you were actually having your first kiss, going to the prom, or celebrating your birthday, we bet you weren't trying to commit it to memory. Yet, you can quickly and effortlessly visualize these experiences. You can thank your brain's amazing visual processor for your ability to easily remember life experiences.
There are countless studies that have confirmed the power of visual imagery in learning. For instance, one study asked students to remember many groups of three words each, such as dog, bike, and street. Students who tried to remember the words by repeating them over and over again did poorly on recall. In comparison, students who made the effort to make visual associations with the three words, such as imagining a dog riding a bike down the street, had significantly better recall. Various types of visuals can be effective learning tools: photos, illustrations, icons, symbols, sketches, and figures, to name only a few. Consider how memorable the visual graphics are in logos, for example. You recognize the brand by seeing the visual graphic, even before reading the name of the brand. This type of visual can be so effective that Starbucks recently simplified its logo by dropping the printed name and keeping only the graphic image of the popular so-called mermaid (technically, it's a siren). We can safely assume that Starbucks Corporation must be keenly aware of how our brains have automatically and effortlessly committed the graphic image to memory.
So powerful is visual learning that we embrace it in the writing of this textbook. Each page of this textbook has been individually formatted to maximize visual learning. We believe the right visuals can help make abstract and difficult concepts more tangible and welcoming, as well as make learning more effective and long lasting. This is why we scrutinize every visual used in our writing to make sure it is paired with content in a clear, meaningful manner. As you see the visuals in this textbook, remember that, based on research outcomes, learning through visuals can decrease learning time, improve comprehension, enhance retrieval, and increase retention.
Adapted from McDaniel Einstein, 1986; Meier, 2000; Patton, 1991; Schacter, 1996; Verdi et al., 1997.
Question
Which goal of psychology is illustrated by stating that visual learning makes sense given that our brains are mainly image processors?