INFORMATION

PROCESSING
OBJECTIVES
◻ Describe the processes involved in
acquiring, storing, and retrieving
knowledge
◻ Cite educational implications of the theory
on information processing
 Information Processing
Theory

Types of Executive Control

Knowledge Stages Processes

General/Specific
Encoding

Declarative
Storage
Procedural

Retrieval
Episodic

Conditional
Activity

Brainstorm on how you can liken

the man’s cognitive processes, like
acquiring information, putting
them to memory, remembering,
etc. to that of the functioning of a
computer.
Analysis
1. In what ways are our cognitive processes like the
functioning of a computer?
2. Can a computer perform all our cognitive
processes? Explain your answer.
Information Processing Theory
Cognitive psychologists believe that cognitive
processes influence the nature of what is learned.
They consider learning as largely an internal
process, not an external behavior change. They look
into how we receive, perceive, store and retrieve
information. They believe that how a person thinks
about and interprets what he/she receives shapes
what he/she will learn. All these notions comprise
what is called information processing theory.
Information Processing Theory
-describes how the learner receives information
(stimuli) from the environment through the senses
and what takes place in between determines
whether the information will continue to pass
through the sensory register, then the short term
memory and the long term memory. Certain
factors would also determine whether the
information will be retrieved or “remembered”
when the learner needs it.
Types of Knowledge
• General vs. Specific. This involves whether the
knowledge is used in many tasks, or only in
one.
. Declarative- This refers to factual
knowledge. They relate to the nature of how
things are. They may be in the form of a word
or an image. Examples are your name,
address, nursery rhyme, definition of IPT or
even the face of your crush.
 . Procedural-This includes knowledge on how to do
things. Examples include making a lesson plan, baking
a cake, or getting the least common denominator.
.Episodic-This includes memories of life events, like
your high school graduation.
.Conditional-This is about “knowing when and why”
to apply declarative or procedural strategies.
Stages in the Information Processing
Theory
The three stages in IPT are:
*Encoding-Information is sensed, perceived and
attended to.
*Storage-The information is stored for either a brief
or extended period of time, depending upon the
processes following encoding.
*Retrieval-The information is brought back at the
appropriate time, and reactivated for use on a current
task, the true measure of effective memory.
Sensory Register
The first step in the IP model, holds all sensory
information for a brief time.
Capacity: Our mind receives a great amount of
information but it is more than what our minds can
hold or perceive.
Duration: The sensory register only holds the
information for an extremely brief –in the order of 1
to 3 seconds.
.There is a difference in duration based on modality :
auditory memory is more persistent than visual.
The Role of Attention
.To bring information into consciousness, it is
necessary that we give attention to it. Such that,
we can only perceive and remember later those
things that pass through our attention “gate.”
.Getting through this attentional filter is done
when the learner is interested in the material;
when there is conscious control over attention, or
when information involves novelty, surprise,
salience, and distinctiveness.
. Before information is perceived, it is known as
“precategorical” information. This means that until
that point, the learner has not established a
determination of the categorical membership of the
information. To this point, the information is coming in
as uninterpreted patterns of stimuli. Once it is
perceived, we can categorize, judge, interpret, and
place meaning to the stimuli. If we fail to perceive,
we have no means by which to recognize the stimulus
was ever encountered.
Short Term Memory (STM or
Working Memory)
Capacity: The STM can only hold 5 to 9 “chunks” of
information, sometimes described as 7+/-2. It is
called working memory because it is where new
information is temporarily placed while it is mentally
processed. STM maintains information for a limited
time, until the learner has adequate resources to
process the information, or until the information is
forgotten.
Duration: Around 18 seconds
-To reduce the loss of information in 18
seconds, you need to do maintenance
rehearsal. It is using repetition to keep
the information active in STM, like when
you repeat a phone number just given
over and over.
Long Term Memory (LTM)

-The LTM is the final or permanent

storing house for memory information.
It holds the stored information until
needed again.
. Capacity: LTM has unlimited capacity
. Duration in the LTM is indefinite
Executive Control Processes

-involve the executive processor or what is

referred to as metacognitive skills. These
processes guide the flow of information
through the system, help the learner make
informed decisions about how to
categorize, organize, or interpret
information. Examples of processes are:
attention, rehearsals and organization.
Forgetting
-is the inability to retrieve or access information
when needed.
There are two main ways in which forgetting
likely occurs:
1. Decay- information is not attended to, and
eventually “fades” away.
2. Interference- new or old information “blocks”
access to the information in question.
Methods for Increasing Retrieval of
Information:
1. Rehearsal- repeating information verbatim, either
mentally or aloud.
2.Meaningful Learning- making connections between
new information and prior knowledge.
3. Organization- making connections among various
pieces of information. Information that is organized
efficiently should be recalled.
4. Elaboration- adding additional ideas to new
information based on what one already knows. It is
connecting new info with old, to gain meaning.
Other Memory Methods
1. Serial Position Effect (recency and primacy)- you
will remember the beginning and end of ‘list’ most
readily
2. Part Learning- break up the ‘list’or “chunk”
information to increase memorization.
3. Distributed Practice- break up learning sessions,
rather than cramming all the info in at once (massed
practice)
4. Mnemonics Aids- are memory techniques that
learners may employ to help them retain and retrieve
information more effectively.
 Information Processing Model
Information is received through the sense and
goes to the sensory memory for a very brief
amount of time. If not found relevant,
informatioon may decay. It goes to the STM and if
given attention and is perceived and found to be
relevant, it is sent ot the LTM. If not properly
encoded, forgetting occurs. Different cognitive
processes applied to the information will then
determine if information can be retrieved when
needed later.
Journal Writing
From the topic, “Information Processing”, I learned that
Research Work
Read a research or study related to Information
Processing. Fill out the matrix below.
Title:
Source: (Complete APA format)
Problem Research Methodology

Findings Conclusion/Recommendations