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The Cognitive Benefits of Visual Thinking

May 09, 2025

Great, I’ll prepare an accessible but detailed overview of the cognitive benefits of visual thinking with an emphasis on what happens in the brain and mind. I’ll cover neuroscience, cognitive science theories, empirical studies (spanning from foundational to more recent work), and practical applications relevant to adults like yourself—especially in areas such as learning, memory, and problem-solving.

I’ll include clear explanations and real-world examples, with references gathered at the end for further reading. I’ll let you know when the report is ready.

The Cognitive Benefits of Visual Thinking

What is Visual Thinking? (Definition & Comparison)

Visual thinking – also known as picture thinking or visual/spatial learning – is the process of “thinking through visual processing”. In other words, when someone engages in visual thinking, they are relying on mental imagery, spatial relationships, and visual representations to organize and reason about information, rather than using words or abstract symbols alone. For example, a visual thinker might solve a problem by picturing the scenario in their “mind’s eye” or sketching a diagram, whereas a verbal thinker might talk themselves through it in words. Visual thinking has been described as “seeing words as a series of pictures”, highlighting how concepts or ideas can be mentally represented as images.

Verbal vs. Visual vs. Abstract Thinking: In contrast to visual thinkers, verbal thinkers primarily think in language – their thought process is a kind of inner dialogue or narration using words and sentences. They might silently “talk through” a problem step by step. Abstract thinkers, on the other hand, tend to think in concepts or generalized ideas that may not be tied to specific words or images (for instance, manipulating equations or logical symbols in their mind). While abstract thinking often overlaps with verbal reasoning, it can also involve non-visual, non-verbal concepts (like mathematical structures). Visual thinking differs in that it grounds ideas in concrete imagery or spatial form. A visual thinker might have a hard time translating complex visuals into language – they understand it as a picture – whereas a verbal thinker might struggle to visualize and prefers written or spoken explanation. In reality, people are not usually 100% visual or 100% verbal; most of us use a mix of modes. Studies suggest roughly 60–65% of the population has a strong visual/spatial thinking preference, about 25–30% are strongly verbal, and many fall in-between using both in combination. We each have a “mental style” that leans more toward visual imagery or verbal narrative, or somewhere along that spectrum.

To illustrate the difference, consider a famous insight by Albert Einstein. He remarked that “the words of language... do not seem to play any role in my mechanism of thought” and that the elements of his thought were “more or less clear images” that he could manipulate and combine, with verbal explanation coming later as a secondary step. In contrast, someone who is a strong verbal thinker might find that they “need to talk out loud in order to complete most of [their] thoughts” – essentially thinking by talking (either externally or internally in words). Both styles achieve complex thought, but through different channels. Visual thinking tends to excel when dealing with spatial, design, or big-picture problems, as it can reveal patterns and relationships at a glance. Verbal/abstract thinking excels with sequential reasoning, detailed explanations, and abstract concepts that have no obvious imagery. Throughout this report, we will focus on how visual thinking (especially for an adult around age 37) confers cognitive benefits, what’s happening in the brain during visual thought, and how it complements other modes of thinking.

Neuroscience of Visual Thinking (Brain’s View of “Mind’s Eye”)

When we think visually – for example, imagining the layout of our living room or picturing a concept map – we engage many of the same brain regions that process actual visual input. In cognitive neuroscience, visual thinking often corresponds to visual mental imagery, and research has revealed a network of brain areas that become active when we form mental pictures. Neuroimaging studies (using fMRI and PET scans) show that occipital regions in the back of the brain (which house the visual cortex) light up during imagery, along with the parietal and frontal cortices. In essence, the brain is “replaying” or simulating a vision-like experience internally.

Brain regions involved in visual thinking. In visual thinking, the occipital lobes (visual cortex at the back of the brain) become active as if seeing, parietal lobes (top-rear, in green) support spatial processing and attention, and frontal lobes (orange) provide executive control and working memory. This network allows us to picture images and manipulate them in our “mind’s eye.”

Neuroscientists have found that visual mental imagery involves a broad network that spans from the front to the back of the brain. One recent summary noted that imagery “involves a network of brain areas from the frontal cortex to sensory areas, overlapping with the default mode network”. The frontal cortex (especially the prefrontal areas) is associated with executive functions and working memory – during imagery, it helps initiate and control the image, deciding what to visualize and holding it in mind. The parietal lobes (upper rear of the brain) are key for spatial processing and attention; they help us maintain the spatial layout of an image and manipulate it (for example, rotating an object mentally or zooming in on a detail). The occipital lobes (at the very back, where the primary visual cortex is) are the brain’s visual processing center – remarkably, when you imagine a vivid scene, these occipital regions become active similar to when you actually see a scene. In fact, studies by Stephen Kosslyn and others demonstrated that visual mental imagery relies on many of the same brain regions as normal visual perception. For instance, if you imagine a face, the brain’s fusiform face area (a part of the temporal/occipital region that responds to faces) will activate almost as if a face were truly in front of your eyes. Researchers O’Craven & Kanwisher famously showed people pictures of faces and houses and then had them imagine them – the brain’s face-processing and place-processing areas were activated in both viewing and imagining conditions, though typically imagery produces slightly weaker activation.

Importantly, connectivity between these regions underpins the experience of visual thinking. Fronto-parietal networks send top-down signals that “initiate” mental images in visual areas. Think of the frontal cortex as the director, calling up an image, and the occipital cortex as the canvas where the image is painted. The parietal cortex helps coordinate this by aligning the image in space and integrating it with our attentional spotlight. One fMRI study found that visual imagery tasks could be decoded by looking at patterns in V1/V2 (early visual cortex) as well as parietal and frontal areas, indicating that these areas work in concert to represent the imagined content. In that study, participants imagined various shapes and objects; researchers could tell what the person was imagining by the distinctive activation patterns in visual and parietal regions, and they even observed overlap between imagery and actual perception for those patterns. This suggests that when you visualize something, you are literally using your visual brain in a manner analogous to seeing – albeit generated from memory and imagination rather than direct light input.

Beyond the core visual circuits, other regions also pitch in. The temporal lobes (on the sides, in green/teal in the image above) store visual memories – e.g. your memory of what a “dog” looks like – and can feed the occipital cortex details to construct an image. The hippocampus (deep in the temporal lobe) may retrieve scene memories (like the layout of your childhood home) to be visualized. Additionally, visual thinking often engages the brain’s attention networks (including frontal and parietal nodes) to filter and focus on parts of the image, as well as the working memory system to maintain the image stably for several seconds. Interestingly, parts of the default mode network – usually active in daydreaming or imagination – overlap with imagery processes, reflecting that visual thinking can be an inward-focused, self-generated mental activity similar to daydreaming or future planning.

In summary, neuroscience shows that visual thinking “lights up” the brain in a widespread way. Visual cortex activation gives the sensory-rich detail, parietal cortex handles spatial arrangement and attention to the image, and frontal cortex handles the intentional aspects (holding the image in mind, deciding what to do with it). This coordination allows adults and indeed people of all ages to manipulate images mentally – for example, a 37-year-old professional visualizing a workflow diagram is using these very circuits. Over years of experience, adult brains may become more efficient at certain visual-thinking tasks (an architect’s parietal lobes might be highly practiced at imagining 3D structures!). The neural evidence makes clear that visual thinking is a whole-brain workout, engaging both low-level visual areas and high-level cognitive control areas.

Cognitive Theories Supporting Visual Thinking

Several classic theories in cognitive science help explain why visual thinking is so powerful. These theories describe how our mind encodes, stores, and uses visual information in conjunction with other types of information. Let’s look at a few key theoretical frameworks:

• Dual Coding Theory (Allan Paivio): Dual Coding Theory proposes that our minds have two distinct systems for representing information: one verbal and one visual (non-verbal). According to Paivio, information can be coded in both formats – for example, when you learn a new word like “apple,” you can encode it as the word “apple” (verbal code) and as a mental picture of a red apple (visual code). Crucially, having two codes for the same information gives a memory advantage. Each system (verbal and visual) can store and retrieve the information, and they reinforce each other. This is often called the “picture superiority effect” – people tend to remember pictures better than words, in part because pictures get dual-coded (the image itself plus usually an implicit label or description). If one pathway is forgotten, the other can still recall the info. For instance, you might forget a person’s name (verbal) but still remember their face (visual), or vice versa. By engaging both channels, learning is more robust. Paivio’s theory, first introduced in 1971, has been supported by many experiments. It underlies why educational materials often include images with text – the combination helps learners understand and retain ideas better than text alone. In a dual-coding perspective, visual thinking isn’t in opposition to verbal thinking; rather, it’s an ally: using imagery alongside words creates richer cognitive representations. This theory has guided a lot of educational design, encouraging teachers and learners to use diagrams, illustrations, and mental imagery to complement verbal explanations.

• Mental Imagery Theory (Stephen Kosslyn): Stephen Kosslyn, a pioneer in mental imagery research, put forward a theory that mental images are depictive representations in the mind – essentially like pictures in a visual “sketchpad” in the brain. Kosslyn’s experiments in the 1970s and 80s demonstrated that mental images behave similarly to real images. For example, in a classic study, people memorized a drawing of an island with various landmarks; when asked to imagine traveling from one landmark to another, the time it took in their imagination was proportional to the distance on the map – as if they were “scanning” a real visual scene in their mind. This suggested that mental imagery has spatial properties, not just abstract descriptions. Kosslyn theorized the brain has a visual buffer (later associated with the occipital cortex) where high-detail images can be generated. His model outlined that imagery involves distinct processes: generation of the image (pulling up details from memory into the visual buffer), maintenance (keeping it on-screen, so to speak), inspection (querying the image for details), and transformation (manipulating it, like rotating or resizing). Notably, Kosslyn’s work, alongside others, led to the finding that visual imagery uses both the “what” and “where” pathways in the brain. The ventral stream (the “what pathway,” through temporal lobes) processes the details of what an object is – its shape, color, etc. – in both vision and imagery. The dorsal stream (the “where pathway,” through parietal lobes) handles spatial relationships and movement – again active in both seeing and imagining movement or spatial layouts. They even found hemispheric differences: e.g. the left hemisphere was better at categorical spatial relations (“object A is to the left of B”), while the right was better at precise metric distances when dealing with images in the mind. Mental Imagery Theory therefore gives a framework for visual thinking: when you “think in pictures,” you are using some of the same brain mechanisms as vision to create an internal display, and then interrogating that display with your mind’s attention. This explains, for instance, why a person might solve a puzzle by visualizing it – the image can be mentally inspected to discover a solution (much like looking at a physical diagram). Kosslyn’s theory was debated by others (notably Zenon Pylyshyn, who argued imagery might be more abstract propositional code), but modern neuroscience has largely vindicated Kosslyn’s view by showing real pictures and imagined pictures activate overlapping brain areas.

• Working Memory and the Visuospatial Sketchpad: According to Alan Baddeley’s influential model of working memory, we have specialized sub-systems for handling different types of information in the short-term. One of these is the visuospatial sketchpad, which is essentially the mind’s “inner eye” – a limited-capacity store that temporarily holds and manipulates visual and spatial information. If you close your eyes and try to count the windows in your house, you will likely form a mental image of each room – that image is held in the visuospatial sketchpad while you scan it. The phonological loop is the analogous subsystem for verbal information (the “inner ear” for hearing words in your head). This separation is why you can, for example, visualize a map while also silently repeating a set of directions – the image occupies the visuospatial sketchpad, and the words occupy the phonological loop, with relatively less interference. Working memory theory thus explains how we can think visually and verbally at the same time up to a point, and why visual thinking can expand our cognitive capacity. By using the sketchpad, we offload some problem-solving from pure verbal working memory (which can typically only hold ~7±2 items at once). For adults around age 37, working memory is near its peak capacity, but still limited – using visual aids or mental imagery can effectively split the load between two subsystems. This ties directly into Cognitive Load Theory in education, formulated by John Sweller, which emphasizes that instructional materials should be designed to avoid overloading the limited working memory. Using relevant visuals with text can “prevent working memory from becoming overwhelmed” by distributing information between the visual and verbal channels. In practical terms, seeing a diagram while listening to an explanation allows the brain to process more total information because the diagram goes to the visuospatial sketchpad and the words go to the phonological loop. Cognitive Load Theory also warns against extraneous load – which is why random decorative pictures that don’t support the learning can actually hurt (they consume visual working memory for no benefit). We’ll revisit that in limitations. But the key point here: we have a mental workspace for imagery, and visual thinking takes advantage of it. Adults who consciously use strategies like sketching ideas or visualizing scenarios are leveraging their working memory more efficiently than if they relied on verbal logic alone.

• Theories of Visual Attention: Visual thinking is effective not just because of memory systems, but also because of how our attention works. Human attention is limited – we cannot process every detail of the world at once, so we must select what to focus on. Visual attention theory (e.g. Treisman’s Feature Integration Theory and others) tells us that certain visual features (color, motion, shape) can be processed in parallel pre-attentively, but to bind them into a coherent object, we need focused attention. What does this mean for visual thinking? It means a visual representation can harness our brain’s natural ability to spot patterns and salient elements quickly. A complex verbal description might require sequential reading and parsing, but a well-crafted diagram can instantly highlight key relationships, grabbing attention with structure or color. Our brain’s attention network operates with both bottom-up signals (e.g. something bright or surprising in an image automatically draws the eye) and top-down signals (our goals – e.g. looking for a specific item). Visual formats allow both: an arrow or a bold color in a chart can direct bottom-up attention to the critical point, and at the same time you can intentionally scan an image for the detail you need (top-down). When we engage in visual thinking internally (say, imagining a scenario), we are effectively directing our internal spotlight of attention around our mental image. This can sometimes make complex problem-solving easier because it mirrors how we would approach a real scene – focusing on one part, then another. The spotlight metaphor of attention suggests we can only fully attend to one region at a time, but an image arranges information spatially so we can swiftly move that spotlight to different pieces without losing the global context. Theories of attention also emphasize that reducing cognitive load (by offloading info to the visual modality) leaves more attentional resources free to concentrate on understanding. In practical terms, an adult who uses a visual checklist or mind map is less likely to be overwhelmed, because the visual layout helps them prioritize and filter information, aligning with how attention naturally seeks structure.

In summary, these cognitive theories converge on a common idea: visual and verbal thinking are complementary channels in the mind. Visual thinking provides a parallel, often more holistic way to process information (as opposed to the linear nature of language), and it taps into powerful memory systems and intuitive spatial reasoning capacities. Dual Coding Theory explains the memory advantage, Working Memory and Cognitive Load theories explain the processing efficiency, and imagery/attention theories explain the mechanisms of how images are represented and used in thought. Together, they support the intuition that “a picture is worth a thousand words” – and add that a picture with words (i.e. engaging both codes) is even better!

Empirical Research Findings on Visual Thinking’s Effects

What have studies found about the benefits of visual thinking on various cognitive functions? Here we survey key findings from foundational research up to recent studies (through 2024) on memory, comprehension, attention, language learning, and problem-solving/spatial reasoning. The evidence consistently shows that incorporating visual thinking can significantly enhance these aspects of cognition:

• Memory and Recall: It’s well-established that images are exceptionally memorable. Classic experiments by Standing (1973) demonstrated that people have astonishing long-term memory for pictures. In one study, participants were shown up to 10,000 pictures over a period of days. When later tested, they correctly recognized a very large proportion of them, far outperforming memory for words or sentences of comparable complexity. This picture superiority effect – better memory for images than for purely verbal information – underlies many mnemonic techniques. For example, the method of loci (memory palace technique), used since ancient times and by modern memory champions, works by converting items to be remembered into vivid images and mentally placing them along a familiar route. The rich imagery creates distinct memory traces that are easier to retrieve. Research also shows that even simple illustrations paired with text improve recall: students remember definitions or facts better if they study them with an accompanying picture versus text alone. Dual Coding Theory explains this: an image + text gives two memory codes. Functional brain studies add evidence – when people memorize visually, they later show re-activation of visual regions during recall, suggesting the image helps cue the memory. For adults, leveraging visual thinking (like making a quick sketch of notes or visualizing a procedure step-by-step) can significantly boost recall in everyday tasks. Even in mid-career professionals, using visual note-taking or diagrams is linked to better retention of meeting content or technical information, as the visual format anchors memory to meaningful imagery.

• Comprehension and Learning: Visual thinking can deepen understanding by providing a clear mental model of complex information. Educational research on multimedia learning (especially the work of Richard Mayer) has found that people learn better from words and pictures than from words alone. For instance, in science education, students who viewed an animation or diagram of how lightning forms, alongside a verbal explanation, understood the process and could transfer their knowledge to new problems better than students who only read text. The visuals help learners organize information and see relationships – essentially they serve as a scaffold for the mind. One principle is the contiguity effect: learning is best when the text and corresponding visual are presented near each other and simultaneously, so the learner’s cognitive system can easily make connections. Another is the coherence principle: extraneous details should be removed – a simple, well-structured graphic beats an overly ornate one when it comes to understanding. Empirical studies have also looked at tools like concept maps (node-link diagrams of concepts) and found that students who create or study concept maps exhibit better comprehension and ability to recall structural knowledge than those who study linear notes. The act of visualizing relationships (e.g. drawing a flowchart of a process or a mind map of ideas) forces the learner to clarify how pieces of information fit together, leading to deeper processing (this aligns with constructivist learning theory). In adult learning and professional training, adding visual case studies, infographics, or schematic diagrams has been shown to reduce misinterpretation and improve recall on follow-up assessments. In short, visual thinking “connects the dots” – literally and figuratively – making learning more intuitive. As one teacher’s guide put it, well-structured visuals can prevent cognitive overload and improve long-term retention.

• Attention and Engagement: A less obvious but important benefit of visuals is on attention. Humans are highly visual creatures – a large portion of the brain is devoted to processing visual inputs – so we are naturally drawn to visual information. Studies in educational psychology have reported that learners often find materials with images more engaging and easier to follow. For example, one survey study found that 75%+ of participants said pictures were more attractive and kept their attention better than text alone when learning new content. Neurologically, images can stimulate the brain’s orienting response: when you see a diagram or an illustration, your brain registers a meaningful configuration and focuses on it. This can be especially beneficial for maintaining concentration in long or complex tasks. Consider an adult in a business meeting – a dense wall of text on a slide may lead to drifting attention, but a chart or visual model can re-capture interest and make the content salient. Empirical evidence also suggests that incorporating visual thinking activities (like doodling or sketching relevant diagrams) can actually improve focus. One famous study by Jackie Andrade (2009) found that people who doodled while listening to a boring message remembered more details than those who did not doodle. The act of light doodling likely kept their level of arousal and attention optimized, preventing mind-wandering. Visual thinking tasks engage the brain in active processing, which keeps attention locked on the task at hand. Additionally, when learning from text, instructing learners to form mental images of what they read has been shown to improve recall – partly because it forces the reader to pay closer attention to the details (you can’t visualize something unless you attend to the descriptive details in the text). Apps like Duolingo, for instance, often use little pictures with new vocabulary; these serve not only memory but also make the learning experience more engaging and lively, sustaining the learner’s attention through varied stimuli. In summary, visual elements tend to capture and hold attention, and visual thinking exercises (like imagining scenarios or drawing mind maps) turn passive information intake into an active, engaging process, which is crucial for adult learners who might be juggling attention with many other responsibilities.

• Language Learning and Thought (e.g. Duolingo): Visual thinking can play a surprisingly strong role in language acquisition and verbal tasks. One might assume learning vocabulary is purely verbal, but research shows that pairing vocabulary words with pictures significantly enhances learning, especially for concrete nouns. For example, if you’re learning the Spanish word “manzana” (apple), seeing a picture of an apple along with the word strengthens the memory trace. A 2012 study by Carpenter & Olson investigated learning foreign words with pictures versus with translations: they found that initially, pictures did not always show an advantage due to learners feeling overconfident, but when that was controlled for, words were learned better from pictures than from text alone. The pictures can make the new word more memorable by providing a direct meaning hook, bypassing translation. Apps like Duolingo leverage this by showing images for many common nouns and actions – essentially encouraging the brain to map the new word to a visual concept, not just a native language equivalent. This taps into associative learning: the visual context gives extra clues and associations. Furthermore, beyond vocabulary, visualization strategies can aid language comprehension. For reading, good readers often report that they form a “movie in their mind” of the narrative – this imagery enhances understanding and enjoyment. For speaking and writing, some individuals use visual thinking to plan out what they want to say (e.g. picturing a timeline of events when telling a story to ensure they include everything in order). There’s also evidence that using gesture and drawing while learning language (forms of externalized visual thinking) help coordinate the mind to pick up meaning. In bilingual education, teachers sometimes use sketches, icons, and spatial charts to explain sentence structure or grammar, giving learners a mental picture of abstract rules. By doing so, they convert an abstract rule into a concrete visual analogy (for instance, representing past tense as a path moving backwards). All these methods reflect the general finding: visual supports improve language learning outcomes. Even for adults around 37 learning a new language or technical jargon in a job, making little visual flashcards or picturing the object can significantly increase retention. Visual thinking essentially provides a universal scaffold that language can latch onto, which is especially handy when verbal memory alone might falter.

• Spatial Reasoning and Problem-Solving: Visual thinking is indispensable in domains that require understanding spatial relationships or solving complex problems. Decades of cognitive research show a strong link between visualization ability and performance in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) fields. One famous experiment by Shepard and Metzler (1971) on mental rotation asked participants to decide if two abstract 3D shapes (made of connected cubes) were the same or mirror-images, with one rotated at some angle. The result: response time increased linearly with the angular difference between the shapes, suggesting people were mentally rotating one shape to align it with the other, at a constant speed. This provided direct evidence of visual thinking in action – the mind was manipulating images as if they were physical objects. The ability to do such mental transformations varies between individuals but can improve with practice. Spatial visualization training (like exercises in imagining and drawing rotated objects) has been shown to improve STEM performance. For example, engineering students who initially struggle with spatial tasks can take a short visual-skills course (learning to sketch in perspective, read blueprints, etc.) and their grades in engineering graphics and even calculus often improve thereafter. One study found that a spatial training course led to higher retention of women in engineering programs, likely by boosting confidence and ability in mentally handling visual-spatial problems. In general, research indicates that spatial ability is a significant predictor of success in engineering and mathematical problem-solving, and this ability is essentially one’s capacity for visual thinking (rotating objects, envisioning cross-sections, etc.).

  In everyday problem-solving, external visual aids and internal visual thinking both play roles. Drawing a diagram is a time-tested heuristic for solving math word problems, logic puzzles, or understanding any complex system. Psychologists have observed that when people draw out a problem (even as simple as scribbling equations spatially or making a flow chart), they often make breakthroughs that didn’t occur with pure equation-solving. Visualizing the problem can reduce working memory load and reveal patterns (e.g. seeing symmetry or grouping elements) that were not obvious from raw numbers. Empirical studies on insight problem-solving show that sometimes a shift to thinking visually or using a spatial analogy can spur the “Aha!” moment. For instance, the famous “nine dots” puzzle (connect 9 dots with four straight lines without lifting pencil) is tough until one visualizes extending lines outside the box – a phrase “think outside the box” literally came from the visual solution. Creativity research also notes that many creative scientists and inventors credit visual imagination for their innovations. Temple Grandin (a renowned animal science professor who is a visual thinker) describes solving engineering problems by mentally simulating how equipment would work. She can essentially run a movie in her head to test designs – a profound visual thinking skill that led to very practical real-world solutions. Likewise, Nikola Tesla was said to visualize complete inventions in his mind before building them. While those are exceptional cases, even average adults use visual thinking for everyday problem-solving: planning the layout of furniture by envisioning different arrangements, or debugging computer code by drawing a flow diagram to trace logic. Each of these examples has been examined in studies or documented anecdotally, and they collectively show that visual thinking often leads to more effective problem-solving by leveraging our brain’s spatial reasoning.

To sum up the empirical evidence: visual thinking enhances memory, improves understanding, focuses attention, aids language acquisition, and boosts problem-solving and spatial reasoning. These benefits have been observed in controlled lab studies (like memory tests, learning experiments, cognitive tasks) and in real-life educational or professional settings. Notably, these effects are not limited to children or students; adults continue to benefit from visual thinking throughout life. In fact, around age 37 – typically mid-career – many people find that incorporating visual strategies (whether it’s sketching ideas during meetings, learning through instructional videos instead of text, or using visualization tools in data analysis) makes them more efficient and effective at work. There is a reason why visual analytics and data visualization have become big in business – our brains can spot trends in a graph much faster than parsing a spreadsheet. The research up to 2024 continues to explore new angles, such as using VR (virtual reality) to engage visual thinking in immersive ways, or how visual thinking can help in purely digital/remote learning environments. The consistent theme is clear: engaging the eyes and “mind’s eye” unlocks cognitive potential that might remain dormant if we restrict ourselves to words or numbers alone.

Real-World Applications and Case Studies

Visual thinking isn’t just a lab phenomenon – it plays out in education, professional life, and personal cognitive enhancement every day. Let’s look at some concrete examples and cases where visual thinking makes a difference:

• Education and Learning: Classrooms have long employed visuals (think of diagrams in a biology textbook or historical timelines in a history class), but beyond those, educators are increasingly teaching students how to think visually themselves. One example is the use of mind maps for studying. A mind map is a visual diagram that starts with a central idea and branches out into related concepts, often with keywords and small drawings. Teachers have found that when adult learners (e.g. in corporate training or higher education) create mind maps of a chapter or lecture, they form deeper connections and recall the material better later. The visual layout helps group related ideas and see the “big picture” structure. Another example is problem-based learning in STEM: an instructor might encourage students to draw the forces in a physics problem (free-body diagrams) or sketch a graph of a function before diving into equations. Students who naturally sketch or visualize tend to avoid common mistakes because they have an intuitive check on whether their algebraic answers make sense visually. Schools and universities have also introduced courses specifically to boost visual thinking – for instance, an “Introduction to Spatial Reasoning” elective that uses puzzles, 3D models, and drawing tasks to sharpen students’ mental imagery skills, with the goal of improving their performance in fields like chemistry (imagine molecular shapes) or anatomy (visualizing body structures). In language arts, teachers implement visual literacy exercises, where students might interpret political cartoons or create storyboards for a narrative – these activities reinforce critical thinking by linking visual elements to themes and concepts. A case study in an elementary setting found that students who were allowed to doodle relevant pictures in the margins while taking notes actually scored higher on subsequent tests than those who were told to take text-only notes, indicating that combining modalities was beneficial. In digital education, platforms like Coursera or Khan Academy incorporate a lot of visuals and even interactive simulations (which engage visual and kinesthetic thinking) to accommodate different learning preferences and to leverage the known benefits of visualizations. Overall, education increasingly acknowledges that teaching with and teaching for visual thinking can improve outcomes across disciplines. As the adage goes, “Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, involve me and I understand” – visual thinking is a form of “showing” and “involving” rolled into one.

• Professional Life (Workplace Problem-Solving and Communication): In the working world, visual thinking skills can set individuals apart in their ability to solve problems and communicate effectively. Take business and project management: A project manager might use a Gantt chart (a timeline bar chart) to schedule tasks. This visual schedule allows the whole team to literally see the project’s timeline and how tasks overlap. It’s far easier to grasp conflicts or dependencies from a visual timeline than from a written schedule. Likewise, flowcharts are ubiquitous in many industries for mapping processes or decision trees. When a team maps out a workflow in a flowchart, they often spot inefficiencies or missing steps that weren’t obvious in a written SOP (standard operating procedure). Whiteboarding sessions are another common practice – team members gather around a whiteboard to sketch out ideas, architectures, or strategies. Tech companies, for instance, rely heavily on whiteboard diagrams when designing software systems; engineers draw boxes and arrows representing components and data flow. This visual collaboration helps ensure everyone has a shared mental model and can spark creative solutions (it’s easier to experiment with moving a box or changing an arrow on a diagram than to rewrite paragraphs of documentation). A notable case study is at Boeing: before building a new aircraft, engineers construct enormous schematic drawings and 3D CAD models – this visual prototype catches design issues long before any physical prototype is built, saving time and money. In medicine, doctors use visual thinking by examining medical images (like X-rays or MRIs) and even by drawing sketches in patient charts to track things like wound healing progress or tumor sizes – these visuals can sometimes reveal patterns (e.g., disease progression) better than raw numbers.

  In corporate strategy, there’s a method called strategy mapping where executives draw maps of company goals and how they interrelate (often called a Strategy Canvas). This visual helps in communicating the plan to stakeholders. Data visualization deserves special mention: professionals in fields from finance to epidemiology rely on charts and infographics to make sense of data. A massive spreadsheet of numbers might hide a trend, but a quick plot (bar chart, line graph, etc.) makes it pop out – this is visual thinking outsourced to a computer and then handed to our visual system to interpret. Famous examples include Florence Nightingale’s rose diagram which helped convince officials about causes of soldier deaths, or more recently, the COVID-19 dashboards which used charts and heat maps to quickly convey complex data to the public and policymakers. These real-world cases show that visual representation is often the key to insight.

  For adults around age 37, likely established in a career, honing visual thinking can lead to better performance and innovation at work. A marketing manager might use a customer journey map (a visual timeline of a customer’s interaction with a product) to identify pain points and opportunities. A scientist might sketch a concept for a new experiment or use mind maps to brainstorm research ideas. A lawyer could use a timeline graphic to lay out a case narrative for a jury, knowing that a visual timeline will be more compelling and memorable than a verbal chronology. In design and architecture fields, visual thinking is the job – architects are trained to visualize in 3D and create blueprints; graphic designers iterate with thumbnails and mood boards. But even in less obviously visual fields, those who can present information visually (in a slide deck, for example) often communicate better. For instance, adding a simple diagram or chart in a presentation can make your point clearer and stick in your audience’s mind. One case study in a consulting firm found that consultants who regularly sketched diagrams during client meetings (instead of just speaking) got higher ratings for clarity from clients – the clients reported that seeing the consultant draw out the problem and solution steps made it easier to follow the logic. This aligns with the idea that visual thinking is also a communication tool: by externalizing your thought process into a picture, you create a shared space for understanding.

• Cognitive Enhancement and Personal Use: Individuals often leverage visual thinking techniques to enhance their own cognitive abilities outside of formal learning or work. For example, consider memory athletes – these are people who compete in memory championships, memorizing decks of cards, huge lists of numbers, etc. Almost universally, their strategy is to translate the information into vivid images and spatial journeys (method of loci) in their minds. This is visual thinking turbo-charged, and it allows ordinary people to achieve superhuman feats of memory through training. While one may not need to memorize 1000 random digits in daily life, the underlying principle can help a 37-year-old adult remember a presentation without notes or learn a new programming language’s syntax by picturing the commands. Similarly, many people use visual note-taking (also known as sketchnoting) as a way to stay engaged and retain information during meetings or lectures. Instead of writing long sentences, they draw simple icons, arrows, and keywords that map out the ideas being discussed. This engages multiple senses and makes note review more enjoyable and memorable. Anecdotally, people report that even if they never look at the sketch-notes again, the act of creating them helps imprint the knowledge better than verbatim notes.

  Another area is mindfulness and mental health: visual imagery is used in techniques like guided imagery therapy, where patients visualize calming scenes or rehearse coping strategies via imagination, which can reduce anxiety. Athletes use visual thinking through visualization techniques – a basketball player might repeatedly imagine making free throws with perfect form, which research has shown can actually improve performance nearly as effectively as physical practice. This works because visualizing an action activates some of the same neural pathways as doing it, essentially training the brain. For adults trying to master a skill or habit, visualization can be a powerful tool. For instance, if you have a fear of public speaking, systematically visualizing giving successful talks can build confidence and prime your brain for the real experience.

  As a case study in creativity, consider doodling. Sunni Brown’s book “The Doodle Revolution” argues that sketching and doodling while thinking or listening can ignite new ideas. Doodling is “making spontaneous marks to help yourself think,” and it often leads to creative connections because it “ignites various parts of the mind”. Many inventors and writers doodle abstract shapes or cartoons as they brainstorm; these visuals can spur associations that a blank page of text might not. For example, the chemist Kekulé famously dreamt (a form of visual thinking) of a snake biting its tail, which inspired the ring structure of the benzene molecule. While that’s an anecdote, it underscores how even in scientific discovery, imagery and metaphor (visual in nature) play a key role. In more modern times, professionals might use software like mind-mapping tools or diagramming apps to brainstorm business strategies or personal projects. These allow quick rearrangement of visual nodes representing ideas, which many find more brainstorm-friendly than making lists.

Some notable individuals exemplify the power of visual thinking: Temple Grandin, as mentioned, is an autistic professor who attributes her success in designing humane livestock facilities to literally thinking in pictures – she can rotate and test designs entirely in her head. Her visual simulations have been so accurate that her first major project (a cattle dip vat design) worked correctly on the first build, a rare feat in engineering. She advocates that many people on the autism spectrum are strong visual or pattern thinkers and that industries like engineering, graphic design, or even animal behavior can greatly benefit from such minds. Einstein (who we quoted earlier) conducted thought experiments – like imagining riding on a beam of light – which were fundamentally visualizations that led to breakthroughs in physics. These cases show that visual thinking can enable leaps of intuition and understanding that might be hard to achieve with words or equations alone. Not everyone will be an Einstein or Grandin, but cultivating one’s ability to visualize problems can improve everyday ingenuity. For an adult learner or worker, simply remembering to “draw it out” or “sketch the problem” whenever something feels too convoluted can yield clarity. Visual thinking acts as a bridge between the intuitive and the rational: it gives form to gut feelings and lets the rational mind work with them.

Limitations and Individual Differences

While visual thinking has many advantages, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. There are important individual differences in how people experience visual imagery, as well as situational limitations where visual thinking might be less effective or even counterproductive. Recognizing these nuances ensures we apply visual strategies when they help and not when they hinder.

• Variability in Imagery Ability: People differ greatly in how vividly or easily they can form mental images. At one extreme, a small percentage of the population has aphantasia, the inability to voluntarily visualize mental images. About 2–3% of people may fall in this category (estimates vary, some studies suggesting ~3.9% have little to no visual imagery ability). For someone with aphantasia, advice like “picture this in your mind” is futile – they rely more on verbal or factual representations. These individuals often excel at verbal or analytical thinking to compensate. On the other extreme are people with hyperphantasia, who have exceptionally vivid imagery (sometimes as vivid as real perception). Most people lie in the middle – they can visualize to some degree if they try, but there’s variation in clarity, color, motion, etc. An adult who reports not being a “visual person” might simply have weaker imagery or less practice with it. Such individuals may prefer other strategies (like reading or listening) and might find forced visualization exercises unhelpful. It’s important to note that imagery skill can improve with practice, but not everyone will find it natural or useful for every task.

• “Visual Learner” vs “Verbal Learner” Preferences: Some people subjectively prefer learning via pictures, others via words. While the concept of rigid “learning styles” (visual/auditory/kinesthetic learners, etc.) is controversial and not strongly supported by evidence for improving outcomes, preferences do exist. A person who loves reading dense text may actually be distracted by too many diagrams, finding them oversimplified. Conversely, a highly visual learner might find long text descriptions disengaging. In training or communication, it’s wise to provide information in multiple modes so individuals can latch onto the mode that works for them. But one should also be open to stretching into less comfortable modes: for instance, a self-identified verbal thinker could benefit from practicing sketching ideas (it might unlock new ways of understanding), and a visual thinker might need to practice articulating in words for cases where a picture isn’t available. There’s evidence that matching teaching style to a supposed learning style doesn’t inherently boost performance – rather, everyone learns better with well-designed visuals plus verbal explanation. However, personal comfort shouldn’t be ignored; it may take coaching to get a habitually verbal person to adopt visual strategies or vice versa.

• When Visuals Can Mislead or Overload: Not all visuals are good visuals. A poorly designed chart can confuse more than clarify. For example, an overly cluttered diagram with too many arrows and boxes can overwhelm the visuospatial sketchpad, causing cognitive overload. Research in multimedia learning highlights the “seductive details effect,” where decorative but irrelevant images actually impair learning by diverting attention. Thus, one limitation is that visual thinking requires relevant visuals – introducing an image for the sake of having one can backfire if it’s not truly helpful. Similarly, in problem-solving, drawing the wrong diagram (one that misrepresents the problem or is too simplistic) could lead one down a wrong path. There are scenarios where verbal or abstract thinking is more efficient: for instance, solving a straightforward algebra equation is often faster by manipulating symbols than by trying to plot it out visually. Visualizing every single thing can also be slow – sometimes a quick calculation or logical syllogism gets you the answer without needing a mental picture. In fact, some problems become harder if you insist on visualizing them. A trivial example: try mentally picturing a complex 12-digit multiplication problem – it’s far easier to do with symbolic math or a calculator than to imagine abacuses or piles of objects. So, know when not to visualize: if the task is purely sequential or symbolic (like computing or following a chain of reasoning with no spatial component), injecting a visual might add extraneous steps.

• Context Matters: Visual thinking is superb for many concrete and spatial tasks, but for highly abstract concepts, one might struggle to find a good visual metaphor. For example, visualizing quantum mechanics or philosophical arguments can be tricky – often, we resort to graphs or conceptual diagrams, but these are only analogies. There is a risk of oversimplification – a visual model may omit nuance. Consider a simple pie chart: it’s great for showing rough proportions, but it can’t show detailed distributions or multiple variables like a table of numbers can. In understanding limitations, one should ask: does the visual representation distort any information? A map is a classic visualization that can mislead if you don’t account for scale (Mercator projection maps make Greenland look enormous, which can give a false impression of its area). In cognitive terms, once we form a visual representation, it can become mentally entrenched. If that representation has flaws, our thinking might inherit those flaws. For example, early atomic models pictured electrons as little balls orbiting the nucleus like planets; this helped a generation of students visualize atoms but also ingrained a misleading image (quantum reality is much fuzzier). Thus, educators and communicators must update visuals as understanding improves (now we use orbital cloud diagrams for atoms to correct the misconception).

• Attention Biases: Our visual attention can be hijacked by flashy images even when they’re irrelevant. In the age of PowerPoint presentations, this is often seen – presenters sometimes add funny clipart or a dramatic photo to keep audience interest. But if that image isn’t directly tied to the content, the audience’s limited attention might be partly spent on the image (or the emotion it evokes) rather than the message. In serious analysis, one must guard against charts or infographics that are visually appealing but misleading (e.g., truncated axes, distorted proportions). Visual thinking is only as good as the quality of the visualization. It’s a tool, not magic – critical thinking is still needed to interpret what an image is really saying.

• Excessive Reliance on Visual Aids: Some individuals might become so comfortable with visual aids that they struggle when those aids are removed. For example, an executive might rely on slide decks to explain ideas and feel lost if asked to describe the same concept without slides. It’s beneficial to develop both visual and verbal faculties. Additionally, group brainstorms where everyone is sketching can be great, but they might inadvertently exclude those who think differently or have anxiety about drawing (some people might refrain from contributing because they “can’t draw well” – even though artistic skill isn’t the point, the fear of embarrassment can be a barrier). Therefore, fostering an inclusive environment where rough sketches and different styles of expression are welcomed is important.

In essence, visual thinking is a powerful complement to other modes, but not a cure-all. It works best when images are clear, relevant, and when the person using them has the ability to interpret them correctly. Individual cognitive profiles (like imagery vividness) will influence how much a person benefits from visual strategies. Some people may need to pair visual thinking with verbal reasoning to feel fully confident (for instance, a visual diagram plus a written explanation covers both bases). The good news is that many of the drawbacks of visuals can be mitigated by good design and self-awareness: by choosing the right kind of visual representation for the task, avoiding clutter, and knowing one’s own strengths (if you know you’re prone to getting lost in details, you might consciously simplify your diagrams; if you know you tend to ignore visuals, you might push yourself to give them a chance).

Conclusion: Visual Thinking’s Benefits and Future Directions

Visual thinking offers a rich suite of cognitive benefits – it engages multiple brain systems (visual, spatial, linguistic) to reinforce memory, sharpen understanding, capture attention, accelerate learning, and enhance problem-solving. For an adult in their late 30s (or any age), cultivating visual thinking habits can lead to improved performance in everyday tasks and professional challenges. By “thinking in pictures” when appropriate, we tap into the brain’s natural strength: about half of the brain is involved in visual processing in some way, so we are literally built to process visual information efficiently. Key takeaways from the research and examples we’ve discussed include:

• Engages the Whole Brain: Visual thinking activates occipital visual areas, parietal spatial areas, and frontal executive areas, creating a rich neural network that can lead to deeper processing. This means better integration of information (we’re using both hemispheres and both the “what” and “where” pathways), which often results in more robust understanding and recall.

• Improves Memory: Information coded both visually and verbally is remembered better than information coded in only one form. Adults can leverage this by deliberately associating images with things they want to remember (e.g. using a visual analogy for a concept in a presentation). The brain’s penchant for images (the picture superiority effect) means even a quick sketch or a mental snapshot of an idea can cement it in memory.

• Enhances Comprehension: Visual representations can simplify complexity. Patterns and relationships that might be obscure in text become evident in a diagram or chart. By externalizing a problem visually, we reduce the load on working memory and allow our reasoning to follow the visual cues. Learning theories and experiments confirm that combining modalities (visual + verbal) leads to better comprehension and transfer of knowledge.

• Aids Attention and Engagement: Visuals naturally draw interest – they break monotony and can illustrate relevance instantly. In an age of constant information and distraction, well-designed visuals in communication help audiences focus on the message. Moreover, engaging in visual thinking (sketching, mapping ideas) turns passive consumption into an active task, which is known to sustain attention. Essentially, visuals are sticky: they make content more compelling and harder to ignore.

• Facilitates Problem-Solving and Creativity: By using spatial reasoning and imagery, we can approach problems from new angles. Visual thinking encourages “seeing” the problem differently – sometimes literally, by re-drawing it – which can yield creative solutions. It’s a way of offloading thought onto paper or into mental space, so you can inspect and play with the parts. Many real-world innovations and solutions have come from a sketch on a napkin or a sudden mental image that provided insight.

• Accessible and Universal: Visual thinking can transcend language barriers. A diagram can often be understood regardless of one’s native language, making it a powerful tool in global communication. For adult learners, this means visuals can provide a common ground, for example, when working in diverse teams or learning from resources in another language (think of IKEA assembly instructions – almost entirely visual, no matter what country you’re in). Though imagery ability varies, almost everyone can benefit from some form of visual support because our brains are wired for it (even those with aphantasia benefit from external visuals, if not internal ones).

That said, we also highlighted caveats: not everyone finds visual thinking easy (individual differences like aphantasia), and poor visuals can mislead or overwhelm. The key is using visual thinking judiciously – as a powerful option in our cognitive toolkit. For a 37-year-old adult, balancing visual and verbal strategies is likely ideal. You might outline a plan in words, then sketch a timeline to double-check it. Or read an article, then draw a one-page concept map from memory to solidify the takeaways. By switching representations, you ensure you truly understand the material (if you can draw it, you likely understand it well).

Future directions: The landscape of visual thinking is expanding, especially with technology. We’re seeing the rise of tools like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), which can immerse individuals in visual-spatial experiences for learning and simulation. For example, medical students can now visualize anatomy in 3D with AR holograms, potentially improving their spatial understanding of the body. In the workplace, VR meetings might allow people to co-draw on 3D whiteboards from across the world, making remote collaboration more visual and intuitive. Artificial Intelligence is also playing a role – AI can generate custom visuals or infographics from raw data or text (e.g. using natural language processing and image generation). This means in the future, if you’re having trouble imagining something, you might simply ask an AI assistant to “show me” and get a quick visualization, which you can then tweak with your own thinking.

Research is also delving deeper into understanding conditions like aphantasia. Ongoing studies up to 2024 are investigating how aphantasic individuals compensate – do they use verbal coding exclusively? Do they have advantages in certain tasks precisely because they’re not distracted by imagery? Conversely, what about those with extremely vivid imagery – does it always help, or can it sometimes interfere (like very vivid imaginers might confuse memory and imagination at times)? These questions will refine how we apply visual thinking techniques in personalized ways.

Another future trend is education reform influenced by visual thinking awareness: educators like Temple Grandin advocate for nurturing visual talents (e.g., bringing back more hands-on drafting, shop class, etc., for students who excel in non-verbal thinking). We may see curricula that more explicitly teach visual literacy – not just how to interpret charts, but how to sketch ideas, how to do visual note-taking, and how to use mental imagery in study. Just as we teach reading and writing, there’s a case for teaching “drawing and seeing” as fundamental skills.

In conclusion, visual thinking enriches our cognitive abilities by engaging the brain’s powerful image-processing capacities alongside verbal and logical reasoning. It’s like having a second language for thought – one that is rapid, parallel, and intuitive. For adults and lifelong learners, honing this “language” of visuals can lead to better memory retention, quicker understanding of complex issues, improved creativity, and more effective communication. The brain’s old saying could be: “If you can see it, you can understand it.” By consciously incorporating visual modes of thought (whether through mental imagery or external sketches), we can often see solutions and ideas that we literally might have overlooked otherwise. As research advances and new tools emerge, the future will likely provide even more ways to integrate visual thinking into our daily cognitive toolkit – empowering us to learn faster, remember more, and solve problems with greater insight.

References:

1. Visual thinking – Wikipedia (definition and prevalence of visual vs verbal thinking)
2. Lukianoff, M. (2023). What Kind of Thinker are You? – Medium (verbal vs visual thinkers description)
3. Ragni, F. et al. (2020). Decoding stimulus identity in occipital, parietal and inferotemporal cortices during visual mental imagery – Cortex (fMRI evidence of brain regions in mental imagery)
4. Pearson, J. (2019). The human imagination: cognitive neuroscience of visual mental imagery – Nature Reviews Neuroscience (imagery involves fronto-sensory network, overlap with default mode network)
5. Kosslyn, S. – Wikipedia (imagery uses same brain regions as perception; what/where pathways in imagery)
6. Paivio, A. – Dual Coding Theory – Wikipedia (mind has verbal and visual channels; dual coding improves recall)
7. Dual Coding Theory – InstructionalDesign.org (separate verbal and imagery systems; example of coding “dog” in two ways)
8. Structural Learning (2021). Dual Coding: A Teacher’s Guide (dual coding reduces cognitive overload, uses visuospatial sketchpad and phonological loop)
9. Frontiers in Neurosci. (2021). Neurochemistry of Visual Attention (definition of visual attention and top-down vs bottom-up control)
10. Standing, L. (1973). Learning 10,000 Pictures – QJEP (large-scale picture memory study demonstrating superior recognition of images vs words)
11. UOGuelph Library (2015). Words Versus Pictures: Research on Visual Communication (people learn better from words and pictures together; eliminate extraneous details)
12. Carpenter, S. & Olson, K. (2012). Are pictures good for learning new vocabulary? – J. Exp. Psychol. Learn (foreign words learned better with pictures once overconfidence is addressed)
13. New Yorker (2023). Temple Grandin’s Visual Thinking (Temple Grandin’s use of detailed mental images for problem-solving and design)
14. Goodreads – Einstein quote (Einstein describing that he thinks in images and sensations, with words coming later)
15. Sorby, S. et al. – Engineering Education studies (spatial skills training improves STEM course grades and retention, especially in engineering)
16. Brown, S. (2014). The Doodle Revolution (“doodling...igniting various parts of the mind” – how sketching can enhance creative thought)

thinking neuro-science