The Information-Processing Approach

LG 1: The information-processing approach can be described as:

• A method that compares the mind to a computer, focusing on how information is encoded, stored, and retrieved.

• A theory that emphasizes emotional development over cognitive processes.

• A model that only considers biological factors in learning.

• An approach that ignores mental processes and focuses solely on observable behavior.

Fill in the blank: The information-processing approach emphasizes that children manipulate information, monitor it, and _______ about it.

• strategize

• forget

• ignore

• hesitate

Two characteristics of cognitive resources that have an important influence on memory and problem solving are:

• Capacity and speed

• Accuracy and creativity

• Motivation and emotion

• Attention and perception

Processing Speed: how quickly children can process information. Faster processing helps children think better and remember more ________.

• information

• mistakes

• games

• problems

Capacity is the amount of information children can ________ and ________ at the same time.

• hold; process

• read; write

• see; hear

• remember; forget

Both biology and experience contribute to growth in cognitive resources. True or False: Only biology contributes to growth in cognitive resources.

• True

• False

Cognitive psychologists often draw analogies to computers to help explain the relation between cognition and the brain. True or False: Cognitive psychologists never compare the brain to computers.

• True

• False

Fill in the blank: ________ is the process by which information gets into memory.

• encoding

• retrieval

• storage

• attention

Fill in the blank: ________ is the ability to process information with little or no effort.

• automaticity

• memorization

• deliberation

• concentration

Fill in the blank: ________ is the creation of a new procedure for processing information.

• strategy construction

• data analysis

• information retrieval

• pattern recognition