Cognitive assumption computer analogy

Question 1

Define what is the ‘computer analogy’

Answer 1

Cognitive psychologists often compare the human mind to a computer

Question 2

Explain what is the ‘computer analogy’

Answer 2

It compares how we take information (input) store it or change it (process) and then recall it when necessary (output). For example the brain would be hardware and cognitive processes would be the software.

Question 3

Examples of the ‘computer analogy’

Answer 3

Multi-Store Model of Memory (Atkinson and Shiffrin 1968) proposes our memories work in a similar way to computers. ​

We take in information into sensory memory (INPUT) – if we pay attention to that stimuli​

Short term memory is only 18-30seconds long and can only hold 7 (+/- 2) chunks of information at any time​

Information has to be rehearsed in order to “process” it from short term memory to long term memory​

Long term memory is infinite but information needs to be retrieved for “output” (recall)