Psychology 2990A/B Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Information Processing Theory, Cocktail Party, Cognitive Psychology

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 2990A/B
• Professor: Doug Hazelwood

Document Summary

Basic assumptions of cognitive psychology: cognitive psychology- theoretical perspective that focuses on mental processes underlying human learning and behav. Adherents to this perspective are sometimes called cognitivists: cog processes inf nature what is learned- learning internal phenom, not external behav change and how people interpret and think about experiences affects what they learn from those experiences. Model of human memory: 3 components- sensory register, working (short-term) mem and long-term mem (not 3 separate parts brain) The nature of working (short-term) memory: working memory- component mem holds and processes lim amount of info, also known as short-term mem. Duration info stored in working mem probably about 5-20 secs: where much thinking/ cog processing occurs- prob several components for dif kinds info ex: visual vs auditory. Short duration: maintenance rehearsal- repeating info to oneself to retain it in working mem (only works as long keep repeating thing to self) Info lasts for 5-20 secs not several days, weeks/ months.