Cognitive information processing

Cognitive information processing

A result of several influences

• Especially:– Learning theory

• S-R; S-O-R

– Computer science/Information processing• Turing• Intelligent machines

– Information theory• Shannon/Bell Labs

Proposes:

• Sensory input is transformed into meaning through a series of actions you perform– Mainly in the brain, but not all– The processes are in a relatively invariant

order– All people follow the same set of processes of

thinking– However, the outcomes can be quite different

Four major types of info processing theories

• Stage theory

• Depth of processing theory

• Parallel distributed processing theory

• Connectionist models

Stage theory

• Argues for three major types of memory– Sensory memory– Short-term memory– Long-term memory

Levels-of-processing

• All information is stored, problem is in retrieval

• Retrieval is based on the amount of elaboration used in processing of information

• Perception, attention, labeling, meaning

Parallel distributed processing theory

• Simultaneous processing by several different parts of memory system rather than sequentially

Connectionistic theory

• Information is stored in multiple locations throughout the brain in the form of networks of connections

• More connections to a single idea or concept, the more likely it is to be stored and retrieved

General principles

• Limited capacity to be actively processed at a given time– Bottlenecks

• Control mechanism—part of the system’s processing capacity must be assigned to a control mechanism

Source: Huitt