Problem 4 - DONE Flashcards

Information-processing theories

1
Q

information-processing theories

A

= class of theories that focus on the structure of the cognitive system and the mental activities used to deploy attention and memory to solve problems

  • continuous development
  • two characteristics
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2
Q

two characteristics of information-processing theories

A
  • task analysis = research technique of identifying goals, relevant information in the environment, and potential processing strategies for a problem
  • -> for overcoming obstacles and attaining goals
  • mental operations
  • -> emphasis on thinking
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3
Q

view of children’s nature

A
  • limited-capacity processing system
  • -> hardware: memory capacity, speed of thought processes
  • -> software: strategies and knowledge
  • active problem solving
  • -> attaining a goal by using a strategy to overcome an obstacle
  • cognitive flexibility to pursue goals
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4
Q

central developmental issues

A
  • descriptions of how change occurs

- nature and nurture –> development of memory and problem-solving

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5
Q

development of attention

A

early childhood (2-6 years)

  • sustained attention improves in toddlerhood and early childhood
  • preschoolers become better at planning
middle childhood (6-10 years)
- selective attention improves between 6-10 years
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6
Q

how do children acquire selective, adaptable attentional strategies?

A
  1. production deficiency (3-4 years)
    - fail to produce strategies
  2. control deficiency (5-6 years)
    - produce strategies sometimes, fail to execute effectively
  3. utilisation deficiency (7-8 years)
    - execute strategies, but performance dies not improve
  4. effective strategy use (9-10 years)
    - use strategies consistently, performance improves
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7
Q

development of memory

A
  • working memory
  • long-term memory
  • executive functions
  • explanations
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8
Q

working memory

A

= short-term memory = memory system that involves actively attending to, gathering, maintaining, storing, and processing information

  • limited in its capacity + in time it can retain information
  • conscious part of information processing
  • subset of knowledge being processed at a given time –> task-dependent
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9
Q

long-term memory

A

= information retained on an enduring basis

  • consists of the knowledge that people accumulate over their lifetime (factual knowledge, conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge, attitudes, reasoning strategies)
  • unlimited amount of information for unlimited periods
  • totality of one’s knowledge
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10
Q

executive functioning

A
  • involve control of cognition
  • inhibiting, enhancing working memory, being cognitive flexible
  • integrates information from working memory and long-term memory
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11
Q

explanations of memory development

A
  1. basic processes –> simplest and most frequently used mental activities
    - associating, recognising, recalling, generalising, encoding
    - speed of processing
    - -> myelination + greater connectivity of brain regions
  2. acquisition and growth of strategies
    - rehearsal –> repeating of information multiple times in order to remember it
    - selective attention –> intentionally focusing on the information that is most relevant to the current goal
  3. increase in content knowledge
    - recalling new materials by making it easier to integrate new material with existing understanding
    - -> improving encoding, providing useful associations, indicating what is/is not possible
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12
Q

development of problem-solving

A
  • overlapping waves theory

- planning

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13
Q

overlapping waves theory

A

= information-processing approach that emphasises the variability of children’s thinking

  • children use variety of strategies and choose which one is most efficient to solve their problem
  • change of strategy if it is not efficient anymore –> during development
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14
Q

planning

A

= thinking out a sequence of acts ahead of time and allocating attention accordingly to reach a goal

  • requires inhibiting desire to solve problem immediately
  • overoptimism makes them act rashly
  • maturation of prefrontal cortex + experiences –> improves planning + problem-solving
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15
Q

how to make information processing better?

lecture

A
  • improve hardware + software
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16
Q

child’s development

lecture

A

increases

  • capacity
  • -> memory span, attention span, processing span
  • strategy use
  • -> number, efficiency and speed of strategy use

decreases

  • cognitive processing
  • motor processing
17
Q

memory

lecture

A

= ability to store and retrieve information

  • improvements in memory span, memory strategies
  • brain development: maturation of hippocampus, frontal lobes
  • sensory memory
  • short-term memory
  • long-term memory
  • -> procedural + declarative
  • -> semantic + episodic
18
Q

sensory memory

lecture

A
  • reflexes
  • unlimited
  • not processed yet
  • if you don’t do anything with it –> decay
19
Q

short-term memory

lecture

A
  • information that is currently active
  • limited capacity (only limited information)
  • if you don’t do anything with it (rehearse/repeat) –> decay within 10-30sec
20
Q

long-term memory

lecture

A
  • if processed –> long-term memory
  • unlimited capacity (relatively long/permanent)
  • not in all-or-none form
  • sometimes you may not retrieve it –> interference (if not processed deeply, more difficult to retrieve)
  • recognition
  • recall
21
Q

recognition and recall

lecture

A

recognition

  • stimulus is identical/similar
  • easier than recall
  • retention interval (showing stimulus and asking for recognition) –> increases with age

recall

  • generate mental representations of stimulus that is not present anymore
  • more difficult
  • appears during/after first year
22
Q

development of memory strategies

lecture

A
  • rehearsal (4-5 years)
  • -> repeat item in memory
  • organisation (6-7 years)
  • -> putting items in category, higher-order relationships
  • elaboration (11-12 years)
  • -> linking unrelated items in your own way
  • mnemonics
23
Q

attention

lecture

A

= ability to focus on particular stimulus without being distracted

  • improvements in sustained+selective attention, attentional strategies and inhibition
  • brain development: maturation of prefrontal cortex
  • sustained attention
  • selective attention
  • divided attention
24
Q

types of attention

lecture

A

sustained attention

  • stay focused on task
  • increases around 2-3 years

selective attention

  • focus on relevant aspect of task
  • improves during elementary school (6-10 years)
  • due to increases in working memory

divided attention

  • ‘multi-tasking’
  • always los some information on wither task
25
Q

inhibition

lecture

A

cognitive inhibition

  • ability to control distracting stimuli
  • hold information that is important in working memory
  • -> internal (thoughts); external (distraction)

response inhibition

  • ability to withhold an action
  • control behaviour in social situation
26
Q

problem-solving

lecture

A

= moving from a current stage to a goal stage

  • -> discovering, analysing, resolving
  • increase in planning abilities, metacognitive awareness
  • improvement in effective strategy use, analysing
  • brain development: maturation of frontal, temporal, parietal lobes
  • components
  • executive functions
27
Q

components of problem-solving (tutor)

A
  • representation = experiences, memory, knowledge
  • planning
  • strategy choice = choose adequate strategy (overlapping-waves theory)
  • transferring skills = use knowledge from other area to solve problem
28
Q

planning

lecture

A
  • thinking out –> particular goal

steps:

  • postponing action —> weighing alternatives
  • organising task materials
  • remembering steps of plan
  • monitoring how well plan works
  • revising if necessary
29
Q

executive function

lecture

A

= ability to control + coordinate one’s own cognitive processes

  • metacognition
  • -> understanding and knowing which cognitive strategy fits best
30
Q

overlapping-waves theory

lecture

A
  • try variety of strategies –> use strategy that fits best
  • observe how well used strategy works
  • -> gradually select most efficient strategy