Task 4 - My socks are in the dryer Flashcards
Information Processing Theory is based on the idea that
- humans have limited capacities
- humans can flexibly apply
Development of Information Processing
Increase in two broad ares
- capacity
— memory span
— attention span
— processing speed
strategy use
— number and efficiency
— speed
Information processing can be divided into the following specific areas
- memory
- attention
- problem solving
(Multi)store model of information processing
stimulus input –> sensory register –> attention –> working, or short-term, memory –> storage / retrieval –> long-term memory –> Response generator –> response output
Three memory structures
- sensory memory
- short-term or working memory
- long-term memory
Sensory memory
- unlimited
- exact copies
- very brief
- decay
Short-term or working memory
- active information
- limited capacity
- few bits of information
- decay
Long-term memory
- relative long
- unlimited capacity
- not in all -or-none form
- developmental changes
Recognition and Recall
Recognition
- stimulus identical or similar
- easier than recall
- retention interval > with age
Development of memory strategies (ages)
- rehearsal –> from about 4-5 years
- organization –> from about 6-7 years
- elaboration –> 11-12 years
Attention
ability to focus on a particular stimulus without being distracted
Types of attention
- sustained attention
- –> stay focused on task increases sharply around 2-3 years
- selective attention
- –> focus on relevant aspect of task
- –> improves strongly between age 6-12
(Cognitive) inhibition
ability to control distracting stimuli
- internal: thoughts
- external: distraction
(improves from infancy on)
(Response) inhibition
ability to withhold an action
- control behaviour in social situations
(improves from infancy on)
Delayed gratification experiment
“Marshmallow experiment”
Development of attentional strategies
- production deficiency (3-4 years)
- control deficiency (5-6 years)
- utilization deficiency (7-8 years)
- effective strategy use (9-10 years)
Development of Prefrontal cortex
- increased selective attention
- more efficient inhibition
Problem solving
moving from a current state to a goal state a mental process involving - discovering - analyzing - resolving
Components of problem solving
- representation
- planning
- strategy choice
- transferring skills
Planning
thinking our –> particular goal
- begins in infancy
- improves with age
Steps in planning
- postponing action to weigh alternatives
- organizing task materials
- remembering steps of plan
- monitoring how well plan works
- revising if necessary
Planning experiment name?
the tower of Hanoi
on a 2 disk version
–> 3 year olds: used one or 2 steps and broke the rules
–> 6 year olds: used 5 to 6 steps, planning 1 or 2 steps ahead
Scientific thinking
- theory –> evidence
- improves with age
- contributing factors
Executive function
Executive function: the ability to control and coordinate one’s own cognitive processes
Metacognition: awareness and knowledge of own cognitive processes
Metacognitive development
- understanding and knowing
- cognitive tasks and cognitive strategies
- development from ages 5 - 10 in all areas
Brain and development of problem solving
development of prefrontal, temporal and parietal cortex
- increased content knowledge
- more efficient strategies
metacognitive knowledge
Overlapping Waves Theory
Siegler’s model of strategy choice
- try variety of strategies
- observe how well they work
- gradually select those giving the best result
Information Processing Theory of cognition
- is dominant model
- continuous development
- advantage:
break down of components - but limitations:
not comprehensive theory
does not consider other aspects
Brain development with respect to information processing
- development of hippocampus, temporal, parietal and prefrontal cortex
- changes in myelinisation
- synaptic pruning
