Information Processing

Question 1

Choice Response Task

Answer 1

• Several stimuli w/ a response for each
• Respond as quickly as possible
• Uncertainty increases w/ number of alternatives, with each BIT of information reducing uncertainty by half.
• Total info transmitted is the reduction in uncertainty

Question 2

Information Theory

Answer 2

• Communication Channel
• Bits as binary signal
• Quantifying messages as bits

Question 3

In Information Theory, low probability events provide more/ less information?

Answer 3

MORE

Question 4

Varying stimulus probability task

Answer 4

• 4 possible stimuli with varying probability

- low probability stimulus with signal more information, leading to a SLOWER response

Question 5

Mind as a Communication Channel

Answer 5

• Abstract model
• metaphor for mechanism
• Quantifying processing properties

Question 6

Possible arrangements of mental operations (3)

Answer 6

• Continuous Activation
• Stage Activation (works for some situations, good starting pt.)
• Cascaded Activation

Question 7

The idea that mental events occur in sequence and that the total time for a task is the sum of the time for each event.

Answer 7

Mental Chronometry

Question 8

Subtractive Method (Donders)

Answer 8

• If A+B=8s, and B=5s, A must = 3s

- requires theory to analyze event organization

Question 9

Posner’s Letter Matching Task

Answer 9

• Decide if 2 letters are the same or different
• Letters can be physically identical (PI) or have the same name (NI, as in A a).
• “Same” responses found to be faster for PI.

Question 10

Steps in the Stage Analysis of Letter Matching (Posner’s Letter Matching Task)

Answer 10

1. Encode stimuli
2. Compare physical codes
3. Retrieve name codes
4. Compare name codes

Question 11

NI (Posner’s letter matching task) correlates with…

Answer 11

Reading skill, information processing tasks.

->possible index of memory across time.

Question 12

2 critical assumptions of Subtraction

Answer 12

1. Non-overlapping stages (NOT CASCADED ACTIVATION)

2. Pure insertion

Question 13

Rate Measurement

Answer 13

Uses the logic of subtraction and suggests that instead of using additional stages, we add more of something. It is thus less likely that this changes the nature of the task, and more likely that pure insertion is correct.

Question 14

Rate Measurement in Visual Search

Answer 14

• Present an array of items
• Search for a target
• Respond as soon as target is found (BETTER= respond “present” or “absent” (y/n)

Question 15

2 Assumptions of Rate Measurement

Answer 15

1. Pure insertion (quite likely)

2. Nonoverlapping stages (usually confirmed by linear function)

Question 16

Describe the slopes of “present” vs. “absent” trials for the Visual Search task.

Answer 16

• On average, only half of the items need to be considered on “present” trials, although p/a processes are similar.
• Slopes for “present” are typically half as great as “absent” trials

Question 17

Function of information processing tasks?

Answer 17

• Measure duration of unobservable events
• Provide evidence on the arrangement of stages
• Uncover general principles of mental events (effects of uncertainty, time for memory access, sequential search processes