Information Processing Theory

Information Processing Theory

A focus on how the brain and mind works

Edward Tolman

Came up with cognitive maps (rats in a maze)

Richard Atkinson and Richard Shiffrin

Started ITP with their model of memory

Computer

What type of model of memory was ITP

1. Sensory registers
2. short term memory/working memory
3. long term memory

3 parts to our memory

Sensory registers

Taking in information through our senses

Unlimited

Capacity of sensory registers

Short

Duration of sensory registers

short term memory

all information taken in is flushed out but when we are aware of a sense it is known in our memory

limitless

capacity of STM

short

duration of STM

long term memory

where does STM get its source of memory

working memory

where we do our thinking

limited

capacity of our WM

5-9

how many pieces of imformation can an adult take in at once

1 minute

duration of WM

long term memory

permanent storage device

retrievable

for it to be LTM, information must be what

no known limit

capacity of LTM

no known limit

duration of LTM

SR---→STM

sensations flushed out but when we pay attention it is in our STM

1. motion
2. size
3. intensity
4. novelty
5. inconguity
6. social cues
7. emotions
8. personally significant

8 factors that affect or influence our attention

inconguity

something that does not fit or is out of place

1. overcome duration limit by rehearsal
2. overcome capacity limit by chunking
3. overcome STM limits by overlearning

3 limits of STM

chunking

finding meaningfulness around random information

automaticity

instantaneous automatic type of behavior

encoding

how to go from STM to LTM

encoding

connecting information to our past memories

1. disuse
2. distortion
3. disorganized

3 reasons why we forget