2nd assumption-cognitive approach

What is the second assumption

Humans are information processors and can be compared to computers

What does the information processing approach suggest

humans are very similar to computers as we both process information in a series of stages

One strength of the computer analogy is that it can be used to explain how the memory system works ( explain further)

For example, the mutlti store model shows that when students are revising they need to keep rehearsing information this will go to their LTM therefore leading to better recall in exams. it shows human input info received and then output it, similar to computers

One strength is that the cognitive approach argue that it is valid to compare humans to computers ( explain further)

Humans and computers are very similar in their processing of information, for example computers have limited capacity of memory and humans short term memory only holds 5-9 items

One limitation is that comparing human memory to a computer is not realistic ( explain further)

The humanistic approach critises this analogy as we should focus on the experience of being human instead of comparing, for example humans forget things humans don’t. Computers are not influenced by emotion, motivation and feelings which affect human memory