The Cognitive Information - Processing Approach

The cognitive information approach can be looked at in a sense that our cognitive abilities are similar to that of a computer:

 Robert Siegler also describes the cognitive information processing approach through three things; Thinking, Changing Mechanisms and self modification.

Changing mechanisms is then also broken down into four parts

1. Encoding: which is the process of storage and getting info into the system. This is similar to the Input stage as referenced above
2. Automaticity: which is when something becomes automatic, we can perform it without really having to think about it. Again similar to the way in which a computer functions, it just performs the task that is being asked
3. Strategy Construction: this involves making ourselves consciously aware of how we do things. This allows us to learn to perform tasks more effectively.
4. Transfer: Involves taking something new and applying it to something we already know or to another situation. Allowing more passage ways to the knowledge.

Finally, self modification which is when we can change our own programming, what we know and how we learned it on our own. this involves meta cognition which is basically thinking about thinking as well as cognitive self awareness.


=> prior to learning about the processing approach of cognitive information, I didn't really think about how I was learning, or what I was doing with information once I learned it.  However, I now try to make more ties to the information, whether its to what Ive learned before or through different situations in my life. This now helps me remember information, whether its for an exam or just for my general life, because I have created those extra ties and created better ways for retrieving the information.