Cognitive information processing

1. Cognitive information processing

2. 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

3. 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

4. Four major types of info processing theories • Stage theory • Depth of processing theory • Parallel distributed processing theory • Connectionist models

5. Stage theory • Argues for three major types of memory • Sensory memory • Short-term memory • Long-term memory

6. 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

7. Parallel distributed processing theory • Simultaneous processing by several different parts of memory system rather than sequentially

8. 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

9. 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

12. Source: Huitt