The computer model of information processing is an analogy used by the cognitive approach: humans receive information as input, mentally process and store it, and then produce behavioural output. It explains cognition as a sequence of operations similar to those performed by a computer.
How the Model Works
The model assumes that internal mental processes can be studied scientifically by making inferences from observable behaviour. Information moves through several stages:
| Stage | Psychological process | Computer analogy |
|---|---|---|
| Input | Sensory information enters through vision, hearing or other senses | Data are entered through an input device |
| Processing | Attention, perception and interpretation act on the information | A processor performs operations on data |
| Storage | Information is encoded and retained in memory | Data are saved to storage |
| Retrieval | Stored information is accessed when required | A file is opened |
| Output | A decision, response or behaviour is produced | A computer displays a result |
The analogy influenced models such as Atkinson and Shiffrin's multi-store memory model, which separates memory into sensory memory, short-term memory and long-term memory. Information is transferred between stores through processes such as attention and rehearsal.
Glanzer and Cunitz (1966) provided supporting evidence through a free-recall experiment. Participants recalled words from the beginning and end of a list particularly well, producing the serial position effect. Delaying recall removed the recency effect but largely preserved the primacy effect, supporting the distinction between short-term and long-term memory stores.
A common misconception is that the model claims the human mind literally operates like a computer. It is only an analogy. Human cognition is influenced by emotion, motivation, schemas and culture, while computer processing follows programmed instructions. The model may therefore be criticized as reductionist because it simplifies complex cognition into separate processing stages.
Exam Technique
In an IB response, define the computer analogy, explain the input-processing-storage-output sequence, and explicitly link one study to the model. For an essay, balance its scientific value against its reductionism and limited consideration of emotion or sociocultural influences.
