Information processing theory of learning emerged after the advent of computer in the early 1950s and the arising dissatisfaction of some researcher with the behaviorist theory of learning. Key contributors of this theory are George A. Miller (1920-2012), Atkinson, Shriffin, Craik, Lockhart, Bransford and Rumelhart. According to this theory, we(humans) process information in the same way as a computer does, that is, the process of information encoding, storing and retrieving by human brain is analogous to the process of data encoding, storing and retrieval by a computer. A computer gets data through its input devices-keyboard, mouse, touch pad and camera- process, analyze and store them, for later use, or retrieve them, when needed by the user, and finally shows the results through its output devices-LCD, LED, Printer and Loud Speaker. Similarly, we collect various information through our five senses-sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch- send them to our brain where they are processed and analyzed or stored, for later use, and the results are manifested in our behaviors / responses/actions. This concept can be easily explained with the help of following model.
Sensory Memory: Sensory memory is a temporary storehouse of information; it retains visual information for ½ seconds and auditory information for three seconds. Sensory memory collects information through senses. It is selective in nature in the sense that it stores only the desired information and ignores the remaining. In other words, when a certain information is considered relevant by sensory momory , it retains this information for a short while and then forwards it to the short-term memory for further processing. In case, if it feels that the received information is irrelevant it neglects it and lets it go out of its storage. Sensory memory is generally influenced by attention and automaticity. It is also believed that each of the five senses has its own memory for processing relevant information. However, it is assumed that they are not much different from each other and their way of operation is the same.
Short-term Memory: Short-term memory is also a temporary storage of information but its duration is comparatively longer than sensory memory, usually it retains information for about 15 to 30 minutes. STM is often viewed as the active or conscious part of our memory, that is, it consists of that information which is ready either for instant use or for further processing and onward submission to long-term memory. It gets its input from sensory memory. This memory is maintained through practice and elaborative rehearsal. It stores 5 to 9 chunks of information at a time. STM has two other counterparts namely Auditory loop which processes auditory information and Visual-spatial Checkpad which processes visual information.
Long-term Memory: Long-term memory has unlimited capacity of storing information. It is a permanent type of storage in the sense that information once stored in it remains there forever. It stores various types of information namely declarative, procedural and imagery. Information exists there in dormant form until we call them back to sort-term memory. The quality of LTM depends upon two processes, the storing process and the retrieval process. The more similar the two processes are the less effort is required to retrieve information from LTM.
Short-term Memory: Short-term memory is also a temporary storage of information but its duration is comparatively longer than sensory memory, usually it retains information for about 15 to 30 minutes. STM is often viewed as the active or conscious part of our memory, that is, it consists of that information which is ready either for instant use or for further processing and onward submission to long-term memory. It gets its input from sensory memory. This memory is maintained through practice and elaborative rehearsal. It stores 5 to 9 chunks of information at a time. STM has two other counterparts namely Auditory loop which processes auditory information and Visual-spatial Checkpad which processes visual information.
Long-term Memory: Long-term memory has unlimited capacity of storing information. It is a permanent type of storage in the sense that information once stored in it remains there forever. It stores various types of information namely declarative, procedural and imagery. Information exists there in dormant form until we call them back to sort-term memory. The quality of LTM depends upon two processes, the storing process and the retrieval process. The more similar the two processes are the less effort is required to retrieve information from LTM.
