Dual Coding Theory

Dual Coding Theory is a very interesting theory that we discussed in class on Monday. It is definitely something that is pertinent to our class and important to remember because of the fact that it can be used to help people process information more easily through business writing. As was shown through one of the group's proposals, the clouds on the title page and the sunshines in the headings really made people feel happy. When someone reads about the Sunshine House on that proposal, maybe they will think of good times in the sun at the beach or at the park. Thinking these things would help them remember the Sunshine House at later happy times, and maybe they will want to donate their time or financial resources.

Dual Coding is something that is extremely prevalent in our society today. It seems as though almost every advertisement on television is using this theory. Laundry detergent commercials, for example, will show a comparison between some bland, generic brand that doesn't work and their vibrant, brand-name detergent that will return a stained, muddy T-shirt to its original white. Theses commercials that show kids having fun jumping in the mud and then getting their stains removed while at the same time comparing their brand to a brand that doesn't work, use all the different parts of your brain.

Technology has definitely changed over time and taken advantage of dual coding. Think back to before the television was invented and the only way of advertising was through the radio. It was much more difficult to use this theory then because nothing was visual. However, with television, advertisers and others have begun to take more advantage of this physiological phenomenon. Nowadays, on new channels we no longer just watch a show and concentrate solely on that. We can now watch the news, but at the same time study the ticker screen going across the bottom and discover breaking news topics and other top stories. Not only that, but if you come in in the middle of a news story, there is normally another line that lets you in on all of the pertinent facts so that you can catch up and understand what is going on.

Dual Coding Theory is all around us.

Posted on Team Blog

I actually posted on my team blog a couple of weeks ago, but I was required to write on this one during one week because I had to do a mock interview reflection. The next week, I posted on here because I had forgotten that I could be exempt. Now, I am remembering that I can skip one week of writing on this one, so this is going to be the week. Check the team blog for my post.

Time for the Proposal ...

Oh man ... I feel like the week before Spring Break is always so packed with things that need to be done. I have 3 tests next week (all on Wednesday), and this proposal with the web site layout is also due. Ugghhhh.

Oh well. I am feeling a little bit better because our group met last night, and we have devised a plan as to how to get everything accomplished by Wednesday (eeek!) of next week. I really wish that there was some way that our proposal could be due next Friday, though. lol. That would take SO much pressure off of me ... especially since we can't really even start writing it until this weekend because we don't know for sure what's going into it until after class tomorrow morning. :(

Either way, I know that our group will be able to somehow get it all done. I think that we work well together, and we will be able to get an impressive proposal together by Wednesday ... I just wish that it could really be put together by FrIdAy instead. :0)