Information Processing

The Information Processing Model is a framework used by cognitive psychologists to explain and describe mental processes. It is a cognitive approach to understanding how the human mind transforms sensory information.

The model assumes that information that comes from the environment is subject to mental processes beyond a simple stimulus-response pattern. Input from the environment goes through the cognitive systems which is then measured by the output.

The Concept of Information Processing Model

Basically the information processing approach likened the mind to a computer—just as a computer has both hardware and software, so does the human mind.

• The hardware is the storage device, such as the hard drive, which is equivalent to human memory storage in the brain.
• The software is the computer program that processes the information that enters the storage device. This is equivalent to cognitive processes such as attention, organization   Opens in new window, and retrieval strategies.

People take in information through their senses, process this information so that some of it enters into memory Opens in new window, and later try to remember what they have learned when they need it.

Information processing theory breaks down the way we understand and use information into steps, such as the steps in memory described above:

• acquiring information,
• storing it, and
• retrieving it.

Information that is received can take several paths depending on attention, encoding, recognition, and storage.

The process of receiving information from the environment with the help of sense organs and that information undergoes higher mental processes like analysis, processing, organizing, coding, then stored, such that the information can be retrieved when needed is called information processing.

Basic Assumptions of Information Processing Approach

The information processing approach is based on a number of assumptions, including:

1. The information made available by the environment is processed by a series of processing systems (e.g. attention, perception, short-term memory or working memory).
2. These processing systems transform or alter the information in systematic ways.
3. Information processing approach processes and structures the cognitive performance.
4. Information processing in humans resembles that in computers .

Comparison of Human Mind with Computer

The model likens the thinking process to how a computer works. Just like a computer, the human mind takes in information, organizes and stores it to be retrieved at a later time.

Just as the computer has an input device, a processing unit, a storage unit, and an output device, so does the human mind have equivalent structures.

• In a computer, information is entered by means of input devices like a keyboard or scanner.
• In the human mind, the input device is called the sense organs like the eyes and the ears through which we sense the information about our surrounding.
• As information is received by a computer, it is processed in the central processing unit (CPU), which is equivalent to the working memory   Opens in new window or short-term memory   Opens in new window.
• In the human mind, this is where information is temporarily held so that it may be used, discarded, or transferred into long-term memory   Opens in new window. This is where we keep information that is not currently being used.

Information stored in the long-term memory Opens in new window may be kept for an indefinite period of time.

When a computer processes information, it displays the results by means of an output device like a computer screen or a printout.

In humans, the result of information processing is exhibited through behavior or actions — a facial expression, a reply to a question, or body movement Opens in new window.

Importance of Information Processing Model

1. This model helps to know how the human brain works like computer.
2. It explains the process like, the way how information can be received from environment and the way how the received information can be processed internally.
3. It gives the methods to remember the information for long time.
4. Helps to remember the information for long period by such processes like revision, rehearsal, coding etc.
5. It explains the importance and working of sensory memory, short term memory and long term memory.
6. It explains clearly how the information can be transferred from one processing unit to another processing unit by the cognitive processes like attention, perception, rehearsal, coding, retrieval etc.

General Principles of Information Processing Model

1. Assumption of Limited Capacity

The first is the assumption of a limited capacity of the mental system. This means that the amount of information that can be processed by the system is constrained in some very important ways.

Blocks or restrictions in flow and processing of information occur at very specific points.

The information processing capacity of a person depends on his or her mentality of the brain, or depends on brain capacity. Therefore limited capacity of information processing can be observed.

2. Principle of Controlled Mechanism

A second principle is that a control mechanism is required to manage the encoding, transformation, processing, storage, retrieval and utilization of information.

Controlled mechanism controls and supervises the information processing. It is the process of organization of received information in a well and hierarchical way with coding, transferring, storing and utility.

When an individual is learning a new task or is confronted with a new environment, the executive function requires more processing power than when one is doing a routine task or is in a familiar environment.

3. Principles of Two Way Flow of Information

A third principle is that there is a two-way flow of information as we try to make sense of the world around us.

We receive information from the environment through senses and we exchange received information in the environment, therefore information processing is two way communication process.

3. Organization of Information Processing

A fourth principle generally accepted by cognitive psychologists is that the human organism has been genetically prepared to process and organize information in specific ways. Information processing is organized by themselves on their own way.