Are images more powerful than words?

Name
Professor
Title
Date
Are Images More Powerful than Words?
Images and words are used to communicate. Words can be written or spoken. For one to use words effectively in communication, he or she must learn grammar rules and the meaning of words. On the other hand, Images or visual communication refers to the use of patterns, pictures or symbols to convey a message. When words are used appropriately, they convey the message effectively. Also if images are designed accordingly, the communication is effective as well. However, comparing words and images in communication, images are more powerful than words.
Images are more effective than written words. People may lack time to read a written paragraph. According to Krista Neher, the brain of a human being can process pictures up to 60,000 times quicker than words (World’s Largest Professional Network | LinkedIn n.p). Therefore, if all that is intended to be communicated is placed on one image, people will look at the image to tell them the story at times when they do not have enough time to go through the whole article. Images rather than words easily capture the attention of human beings. This is because images are figurative, literally and colorful compared to a group of words. The power of images is evident in social media as status updates with images have more shares and likes compared to status updates without a picture (“Pictures Speak Louder than Words | Image Strategy” n.p).
Also, images are easy on the eyes and consequently easy on the brain.

The images are easy to associate with facts and also easy to remember. That is why people often prefer images to plain words. Images capture feelings that words are not capable of capturing (“Why Pictures Speak Louder than Words” n.p). The meaning of words is always situational and relative. In different situations, different people can interpret the words differently (“EFFECTIVE USE OF LANGUAGE” n.p). Therefore, same words can be interpreted differently by different people thus causing ambiguity in communication.
Therefore, images have more power in communication compared to words. However, if both images and words are used together, they convey the message in a stronger and powerful way. Though images are powerful and speak much faster than words, in some situation, they may not have an effective meaning without words. Therefore, words and images can be combined to ease communication.
Works Cited
“EFFECTIVE USE OF LANGUAGE.” UW Faculty Web Server, faculty.washington.edu/ezent/el.htm.
“Pictures Speak Louder Than Words | Image Strategy.” Roundpeg | Indianapolis | Web Design | Social Media | Marketing, roundpeg.biz/2014/08/pictures-speak-louder-words/.
“Why Pictures Speak Louder Than Words.” Dennis Dunleavy, ddunleavy.typepad.com/why-pictures-speak-louder-than-words.html.
World’s Largest Professional Network | LinkedIn, www.linkedin.com/pulse/5-reasons-why-images-speak-louder-than-words-gabe-arnold.