The Information Processing Approach
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
The information processing approach
A.
The mind as computer
History of information processing
A.
Behaviorist foundations
1.
Kendler & Kendler (1962): Reversal and non-reversal learning
2.
Mediational theory
B.
Cognitive psychology and psycholinguistics
Models of information processing
A.
Atkinson & Shiffrin’s store model
1.
Hardware of the system
2.
Software of the system
3.
The flow of information in the system
B.
The levels of processing model
Attention
A.
Inhibition
B.
Planning
C.
Selectivity and adaptability
Memory
A.
Recognition and recall
1.
Memory strategies
B.
Memory for everyday experiences
1.
Episodic memory
2.
Memory for familiar events – scripts
3.
Memory for one-time events – autobiographical memory
Theories of mind
A.
Awareness of mental life
1.
Beliefs and desires
2.
The false-belief task
B.
The school-age child’s theory of mind
1.
Knowledge of cognitive capacities
2.
Knowledge of strategies
Evaluation of information processing
A.
Strengths of the approach
1.
Breaking down cognitive performance in operating processes
2.
How do children process information
B.
Weaknesses of the approach
1.
Integration of cognitive components
2.
Account of how development occurs
3.
The computer metaphor
4.
The emphasis on verbal, symbolic intelligence
The Mind As A Computer
Step 1:
• Encoding
• Take in and store information
Step 2:
• Recoding
• Operate on information, revise its symbolic
structure
Step 3:
• Decoding
• Decipher meaning, compare new information
with previously stored information
Step 4:
• Output
• Produce a response, usually a behavioral
performance like solving a task or problem
Behaviorist Foundations
Kendler & Kendler (1962)
Reversal and Non-Reversal Learning
First Discrimination
+
Big equals Yes
-
Little equals No
Second Discrimination
+
Reversal
Little equals Yes
-
Big equals No
+
Non-Reversal
Red equals Yes
Green equals No
Atkinson & Shiffrin’s Store Model
(Atkinson & Shiffrin, 1968)
Richard Atkinson
Richard Shiffrin
The Levels of Processing Approach
(Craik & Lockhart, 1972)
Fergus Craik
The retention of information is a function of
the depth to which the incoming stimuli has
been analysed by the system.
Example:
A written word
Levels:
 Superficial:
Perceptual
characteristics
(e.g., capital vs. small case)

Middle:
Phonemic characteristics;
How does the word sound?

Deep:
Semantic features or meaning
Attention
Inhibition
• The ability to inhibit impulses and keep goals in
mind
• Contributions of scaffolding
• The Tools of the Mind curriculum
Planning
• Thinking through sequences of action
• Cultural tools that support planning
• Planning in older children
Selectivity and adaptability
• Increases in the ability to selectively attend
• The Dimensional Change Card Sort task
• How do children acquire better attentional
strategies?
The Dimensional Change Card Sort Task
(Zelazo et al., 1995; Zelazo, 2006)
Philip David Zelazo
Attention
Inhibition
• The ability to inhibit impulses and keep goals in
mind
• Contributions of scaffolding
• The Tools of the Mind curriculum
Planning
• Thinking through sequences of action
• Cultural tools that support planning
• Planning in older children
Selectivity and adaptability
• Increases in the ability to selectively attend
• The Dimensional Change Card Sort task
• How do children acquire better attentional
strategies?
• Production Deficiency
• Control Deficiency
• Utilization Deficiency
• Effective Strategy Use
Memory
Recognition and Recall
• Recognition
• Noticing that a stimulus is the same as one
you’ve previously experienced
• Recognition memory in infancy
• Brown and Campione (1972)
• Recall
• Cues are provided as to the original stimulus,
and you have to reproduce that stimulus
• The use of mental strategies
• Rehearsal, organization, categorization
• DeLoache & Todd (1988)
• Changes in mental strategies with age
• Use of rehearsal and organization
• Use of elaboration
Memory for everyday information (episodic memory)
• Memory for familiar events – scripts
• Memory for one-time events – autobiographical
memory
Theory of Mind (metacognition)
Awareness of mental life
• Joint attention
• Beliefs and Desires
• False-belief task
Social referencing
Theory of Mind (metacognition)
School-age child’s theory of mind
• Knowledge of cognitive capacities
• Understanding of cognitive processes and their
impact on performance
• Understanding of sources of knowledge
• 2nd order false belief task
• DeLoache & Todd (1988)
• Changes in mental strategies with age
• Use of rehearsal and organization
• Use of elaboration
• Knowledge of strategies
Evaluation of the Information Processing
Approach
Advantages
• Success in providing detailed specification of how
younger vs. older children perceive, attend,
memorize, and so on
• How do children process information in educational
important domains
Problems
• The fragmentation of cognitive processing
• Explicit account of developmental change
• Limitations of the computer metaphor
• The emphasis on verbal, symbolic reasoning