Lecture 4: Information processing

Question 1

What is the purpose of models

Answer 1

Help us understand something that is not intuitive in nature. They improve and change as time goes on because new information is always being presented and used to build on ideas

Question 2

What is the information processing model

Answer 2

A model of what human skilled performance is. It summarizes major factors that underly performance

Question 3

What assumptions do we make when using the information processing model

Answer 3

1. Information is processed
2. Processing information takes time
3. There are a series of sequential steps

Question 4

What 3 stages of information processing that occur between the input and output of an action

Answer 4

1. Stimulus identification
2. Response selection
3. Response programming

Question 5

Can the 3 stages of information processing occur at the same time

Answer 5

No. They cannot overlap. One stage has to finish before another one begins.

Question 6

What is stimulus identification

Answer 6

Decides whether a stimulus has been detected and what that stimulus might be.

• Detection of sensory information (sight, sound, proprioception, kinesthesia)
• Detection of patterns of movement
• Recognition of some representation of stimulus

Question 7

What is response selection

Answer 7

Once a stimulus has been detected, the system decides what response to make. A transition between stimulus onset and choosing the appropriate action.

Question 8

What is response (movement) programming

Answer 8

The motor system needs to be organized for the appropriate movement.
Before producing a movement the system must:
1. ready the lower-level mechanisms in the brainstem and spinal cord for action.
2. retrieve and organize a motor program

Question 9

Define motor programming (before the first midterm)

Answer 9

A prestructured set of movement commands that defines the essential details of skilled action

Question 10

How would a response programming impairment effect information processing

Answer 10

A neuromuscular disorder like ALS. The sensory nerves are still intact so the first stage is completed, the second stage is completed because a decision can be made, but the third stage cannot be done because the individual cannot move.

Question 11

How would a stimulus identification impairment effect information processing

Answer 11

Having earbuds in or being blind would stop the detection of a stimulus. The brain compensates by using other modes of sensation to become aware of the surroundings (not always for the best)

Question 12

What are the two types of processing

Answer 12

1. Serial processing

2. Parallel processing

Question 13

What is serial processing

Answer 13

There is only one stream of information being processed

Question 14

What is parallel processing

Answer 14

There are two or more streams of information being processed at the same time

Question 15

Which of the 3 information processing stages uses parallel processing

Answer 15

Stimulus identification processing. Multiple streams of sensory information occur at one time (visual, auditory, olfactory, kinesthetic)

Question 16

What is the cocktail party effect

Answer 16

Select information is being blocked out but you are subconsciously listening.
Ex. When you hear your name in a conversation but you were not paying attention to the conversation.

Question 17

What is controlled processing

Answer 17

a response selection processing that is voluntary and only one decision is made at a time (serial)

Question 18

What is automatic processing

Answer 18

a response selection processing that is involuntary and you can focus on more than one thing.

Question 19

What is inattention blindness

Answer 19

An effort is made to focus on a single stimuli and we block out important information. (miss the obvious features in our environment)

Question 20

What is the Stroop Effect

Answer 20

Time delay due to parallel processing of competing streams during stimulus identification stage (trying to say the colour of the word “BLUE” that is coloured yellow)