Changes: Information processing model

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Cognitive Psychology: Attention · Decision making · Learning · Judgement · Memory · Motivation · Perception · Reasoning · Thinking - Cognitive processes Cognition - Outline Index

In cognitive psychology, information processing is an approach to the goal of understanding human thinking. It arose in the 1940s and 1950s. The essence of the approach is to see cognition as being essentially computational in nature, with mind being the software and the brain being the hardware. The information processing approach in psychology is closely allied to cognitivism in psychology and functionalism in philosophy although the terms are not quite synonymous. Information processing can be sequential or parallel, which can both be either centralized or decentralized (distributed). The parallel distributed processing in mid-1980s became popular under the name connectionism. In early 1950s Friedrich Hayek was ahead of his time when he posited the idea of spontaneous order in the brain arising out of decentralized networks of simple units (neurons). However, Hayek is rarely cited in the literature of connectionism.

Basic Terminology

Environmental Input

Sensory Store

Short Term Memory (STM)

Long Term Memory (LTM)

Executive Processing

Output to Environment

These are the behaviours which the individual displays.

Failings and Criticisms

One major problem of this model is that it fails to explain why individuals prefer certain stimuli to others, such as preference for sweet foods and pleasure over pain. It could be argued that the model does not try to explain these phenomena, but without these explanations the model cannot explain psychological phenomena such as Conditioning.

Nor can it explain instinctive behaviour such as sex drive, although it could be argued that our biological nature has hardwired our physiological 'hardware' profile, such that we seek certain pleasureable stimuli and avoid certain unpleasant or painful stimuli. When human beings control themselves, to accept an unpleasant stimuli (going for a long run) or pass up the opportunity to accept a pleasant stimuli (not eating a food, because it contains too much sugar) then it could be argued that the Executive Processing is being engaged, in order to overcome the hardwired, natural instincts.

References

Allen Newell, Unified Theories of Cognition, Harvard University Press (1990).

External links

Herbert Simon's sketch of Allen Newell's lifetime accomplishments: [1].
The Basic Period of Individual Mental Speed, Underlying IQ

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-In [[cognitive psychology]], '''information processing''' is an approach to the goal of understanding human thinking. It arose in the 1940s and 1950s. The essence of the approach is to see [[cognition]] as being essentially computational in nature, with ''mind'' being the ''software'' and the brain being the ''hardware''.  The information processing approach in psychology is closely allied to [[cognitivism]] in psychology and [[functionalism]] in philosophy although the terms are not quite synonymous. Information processing can be '''sequential''' or '''parallel''', which can both be either '''centralized''' or [[decentralized]] ('''distributed'''). The [[parallel distributed processing]] in mid-1980s became popular under the name [[connectionism]]. In early 1950s [[Friedrich Hayek]] was ahead of his time when he posited the idea of spontaneous order in the brain arising out of ''decentralized networks of simple units'' ([[neurons]]). However, [[Hayek]] is rarely cited in the literature of [[connectionism]].
+In [[cognitive psychology]], '''information processing''' is an approach to the goal of understanding human thinking. It arose in the 1940s and 1950s. The essence of the approach is to see [[cognition]] as being essentially computational in nature, with ''mind'' being the ''software'' and the brain being the ''hardware''.  The information processing approach in psychology is closely allied to [[cognitivism]] in psychology and [[functionalism]] in philosophy although the terms are not quite synonymous. Information processing can be '''sequential''' or '''parallel''', which can both be either '''centralized''' or decentralized ('''distributed'''). The parallel distributed processing in mid-1980s became popular under the name [[connectionism]]. In early 1950s [[Friedrich Hayek]] was ahead of his time when he posited the idea of spontaneous order in the brain arising out of ''decentralized networks of simple units'' ([[neurons]]). However, [[Hayek]] is rarely cited in the literature of [[connectionism]].
 ==Basic Terminology==