U2: Principles of Information Processing

Question 1

Information processing

Answer 1

Change (processing) of information in any manner detectable by an observer.

Question 2

Four basic principles of information processing system

Answer 2

1. Limited capacity of the mental system
2. Requirement of a control mechanism
3. Two-way flow of information
4. Genetic preparation of human organism

Question 3

1. Limited capacity of the mental system

Answer 3

1. Our system can process only limited information at a particular time.
2. Similar to the bottleneck size determining and regulating the flow of water out of the bottle, processing of information is restricted and regulated.
3. Brain process selective, limited information at a time.

Question 4

2. Requirement of a control system

Answer 4

1. A control system is required to oversee encoding, processing, storage, retrieval and utilization of information.
2. All the processing capacity is not available for use. An executive function oversees this process.
3. New task = more processing power
   Familiar/Routine task = less processing power

Question 5

2. Two - way flow of information

Answer 5

The two-way flow of information principle in cognitive information processing refers to how information is processed in both directions within the mind. This principle emphasizes that information flows:
i. Bottom-Up Processing
ii. Top-Down Processing

Question 6

i. Bottom-Up Processing

Answer 6

Information processing starts from raw sensory input (like sight, sound) and builds upward to create a perceptual experience or understanding.

For example, recognizing individual letters in reading which then forms a word.

Question 7

ii. Top-Down Processing

Answer 7

Processing is guided by pre-existing knowledge, expectations, or mental schemas, which can influence perception and interpretation of new information.

For instance, knowing the context of a story can help in predicting what a sentence may contain even before all words are read.

Question 8

4. Genetic Preparation of human organism

Answer 8

1. The principle of genetic preparation of the human organism in cognitive information processing suggests that humans are biologically pre-wired for certain cognitive abilities and information processing skills.
2. We have an innate readiness to process and organize information in specific ways.
   i. Efficiently Process Information: Genetic predispositions make humans inherently capable of processing basic information, like recognizing faces or language patterns, which are essential for survival and social interaction.
   ii. Learn Quickly in Certain Domains: Humans are biologically equipped to learn language, recognize spatial patterns, and develop problem-solving skills more easily due to inherited neural structures and cognitive predispositions.