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Dual coding is a theory of cognition introduced by Allan Pavio in late 1960s. This theory suggests two distinct subsystems contributing to cognition: one is specialized for language and verbal information, and the other for images and non-verbal information.
These two kinds of processing systems result in two types of stored representations:
Links between verbal and non-verbal representations are called referential connections and connections within each of those4 two systems are called associative connections. help forming the complex networks of human memory.
Paivio, Allan. Imagery and verbal processes. Holt, Rinehart and Winston. New York, 1971.