Chapter 7: Human Info Processing (TEST 2)

Question 1

Perceptual Processor

Answer 1

Responsible for gathering information from the environment (via sensory organs like eyes and ears).
Processes sensory input and converts it into symbols the brain can interpret.

Perceptual Memory

Question 2

Name the information processing stages

Answer 2

Perception, Memory, Decision Making

Question 3

Cognitive Processor

Answer 3

Handles the interpretation of sensory input, decision-making, problem-solving, and reasoning.
Links perceptual information to knowledge stored in memory and coordinates
action.

Working Memory
Long-Term Memory

Question 4

Motor Processor

Answer 4

Converts decisions and plans into physical actions (e.g., moving hands, speaking). Works closely with the cognitive system to perform actions based on decisions.

Motor Memory

Question 5

Describe this example in Perception processing stage:

Example: You are driving towards an intersection when the traffic light changes from green to yellow.

Answer 5

What Happens?
Your eyes detect the change in the
traffic light from green to yellow.

Sensory Input:
You notice the color change and
interpret that yellow means caution.

Interpretation:
You recognize that yellow is a
warning that the light will turn red
soon.

Question 6

Describe this example in Memory processing stage:

Example: You are driving towards an intersection when the traffic light changes from green to yellow.

Answer 6

What Happens?
Your brain retrieves from your long- term memory what a yellow light means.

Prior Knowledge:
You remember that yellow means you
need to prepare to stop or proceed
with caution

Working Memory:
When approaching the intersection,
you quickly evaluate your speed &
distance from the light.

Question 7

Describe this example in Decision-Making processing stage:

Example: You are driving towards an intersection when the traffic light changes from green to yellow.

Answer 7

What Happens?
You assess the situation based on the
visual input (yellow light) and the
information retrieved from memory.

Factors Considered:
You consider your speed, distance to
intersection, traffic, and whether you
can stop safely.

Decision:
You press the brake and stop because
you determine it is safer to stop than
to continue driving through the light.

Question 8

Describe this example as a summary of all three information processing stages:

Example: You are driving towards an intersection when the traffic light changes from green to yellow.

Answer 8

Perception
You see the yellow light and
recognize its meaning (slow down or
stop).

Memory
You recall from experience/knowledge
that yellow means the light will soon
turn red, and process speed, distance)

Decision-Making:
Based on this information, you
decide to stop the car and act by
pressing the brake.

Question 9

What is the most important step in the human processing model and why?

Answer 9

Perception is the most important step in the Human Information Processing model because nothing else happens if you do not
perceive it

Question 10

What are channels? Name and describe all 5 channels.

Answer 10

Refer to the pathways through which information is received, transmitted, and processed by the human cognitive system.

These channels can include different sensory modalities, such as:

1. Visual Channel: Processes visual information from the environment through sight.
2. Auditory Channel: Processes sound and auditory information.
3. Tactile Channel: Involves touch and physical sensations.
4. Olfactory Channel: Related to the sense of smell.
5. Gustatory Channel: Pertains to taste sensations.

Question 11

Name All 4 types of attention

Answer 11

1. Sustained
2. Selective
3. Divided
4. Focused

Question 12

Selective Attention with example

Answer 12

may monitor several channels to perform a single task to determine if an event has occurred

Ex:
Focusing on a single conversation at a noisy party while ignoring other background chatter.

Question 13

Sustained Attention with example

Answer 13

vigilance - prolonged attention to a specific stimuli

Ex:
Watching a movie for two hours without losing focus on the storyline.

Question 14

Focused Attention with example

Answer 14

Concentrating on a specific signal (may only involve one channel or a number devoted to the same signal), the Largest obstacle is noise

Ex:
Taking a Test

Question 15

Divided Attention with example

Answer 15

attending to multiple channels and stimuli

Ex: Talking on a phone while cooking

Question 16

Guidelines for Task Design for Selective Attention

Answer 16

1. Preview where signals will occur in the future
2. Train on effective scanning patterns

Use few channels
Identify important channels for effective resource allocation
Reduce stress
Place channels close together
Make auditory channels distinctly different from the background noise
If responses are required, ensure there is ample time to respond

Question 17

Guidelines for Task Design for Sustained Attention

Answer 17

1. Decrease the uncertainty as to when the signal will occur (provide a precursor)
2. Use artificial signals and provide feedback on detection performance

Work rest schedules are important
Increase conspicuity of signal

Question 18

Guidelines for Task Design for Focused Attention

Answer 18

1. Make each channel distinct

Separate competing channels from the channel of interest
Decrease the number of channels
Distinguish the channel of interest

Question 19

Guidelines for Task Design for Divided Attention

Answer 19

1. Where stress is inevitable, then provide rules for prioritization

Minimize the number of sources of information
Keep the difficulty low
Keep tasks dissimilar to utilize all possible attentional resources
Greater learning of manual tasks reduces the drain

Question 20

Name the 3 steps in the Memory Process

Answer 20

Encoding, Storage, and Retrieval

Question 21

Encoding

Answer 21

transforming information into the three memory stores

Question 22

Storage

Answer 22

maintaining encoded information over time in the short-term or long-term memory

Question 23

Retrieval

Answer 23

accessing and bringing stored information from memory back

Question 24

Name the 3 Memory Stores

Answer 24

Sensory Register, Working Memory, and Long Term Memory

Question 25

Sensory Register

Answer 25

each sensory channel has a store automatic unlimited capacity, but a time limit for storing

iconic (visual) – about 1 second; and
echoic (auditory) – a few seconds

Question 26

Working Memory

Answer 26

Temporary storage - Holds verbal and spatial information

Capacity: 7±2 chunks

Time: Depends on rehearsal (repeating)

Shows a primacy effect (items presented first will be retained in memory, due to rehearsal) and a recency effect
(items presented last will be retained in memory because they have not had time to decay)

Question 27

Working Memory Design Guidelines

Answer 27

Minimize working memory load (use short lists, use reminders)
Exploit chunking, mnemonics
Provide visual/spatial echoes
Minimize confusability
Avoid negation – it constitutes an added chunk

Question 28

Types of Long-Term Memory

Answer 28

Episodic, Semantic, Schema, Mental Model

Question 29

Episodic Memory with example

Answer 29

spatial, temporal experiences (memories)

Ex: Recalling your first day at school, including who was there and what happened.

Question 30

Semantic Memory with example

Answer 30

relationships, rules, associations, facts

Ex: Remembering that a cat is a type of animal orunderstanding the rules of grammar.

Question 31

Schema Memory with example

Answer 31

integrated meaningful framework of information

Ex: A schema for a “restaurant” might include expectations about menus, waitstaff, and how to order food.

Question 32

Mental Model

Answer 32

purpose of the system

EX: Understanding how a car engine operates, which guides your approach to troubleshooting if the car won’t start.

Question 33

Design Guidelines for Long Term Memory

Answer 33

Encourage frequency and recency
Standardize
Design information to be remembered
Design to support the development of correct mental models

Question 34

Limited Capacity Model

Answer 34

Says you have 1 pool of
resources to draw from to
perform all the tasks you
are required.
–as task difficulty increases,
the more resources are
required, therefore you have
fewer resources to perform
other tasks.
Tradeoff between tasks
Must define priorities

One big bucket and once I start spending resources on one task I have less for others

Question 35

Multiple Resource Theory

Answer 35

human attention and cognitive processing are supported by various resource pools, which can be allocated to different tasks

Multiple buckets on multiple dimensions. Each bucket functions on limited capacity model, but you can spend out of multiple buckets.

Question 36

Primacy effect

Answer 36

items presented first will be retained due to rehearsal

Question 37

Recency effect

Answer 37

items presented last will be retained because they have not had time to decay

Question 38

What is mental workload

Answer 38

Cognitive demand or effort required for a specific task or set of tasks

Question 39

What is the best way to measure mental workload

Answer 39

subjective measures such as surveys