The Stages of Information Processing (OCR GCSE Psychology): Revision Note

Information processing

• Information processing explains how we take in, transform, store, and retrieve information, similar to how a computer processes data

• Cognitive psychologists compare the human brain to a computer, describing memory as a sequence of mental operations

• There are five main stages in the information processing model:

  • input

  • encoding

  • storage

  • retrieval

  • output

Input

• Information enters the brain through the senses, such as sight, sound, and touch

• The eyes and ears detect sensory information and send it to the brain for further processing

  • E.g. hearing a song or seeing a red rose

Encoding

• This is the process of transforming sensory input into a form that the brain can understand

• Encoding converts information into a mental code, similar to how a computer turns data into binary

• There are different types of encoding:

  • Visual encoding—storing what something looks like

    • e.g. a face, a painting

  • Acoustic encoding—storing what something sounds like

    • e.g. a tune or spoken words

  • Semantic encoding—storing the meaning of information

    • e.g. understanding a definition

  • Elaborative encoding—linking new information to what is already known, helping long-term learning

    • e.g. revising by connecting topics

Storage

• Once encoded, information is stored for later use

  • Storage is where information is kept in the brain

• Some memories remain briefly in short-term memory (STM)—lasting about 15–30 seconds

• Rehearsal or repetition moves information into long-term memory (LTM), where it can last for years or even a lifetime

  • E.g. remembering lyrics after practicing a song multiple times

Retrieval

• The process of recovering stored information when needed

• Retrieval can take different forms:

  • Free recall—remembering without cues (“I remember that definition!”)

  • Cued recall—recalling with a hint (“It starts with a G—oh, it’s Grenade!”)

  • Recognition—identifying something seen or heard before (e.g. recognising a friend in a photo)

• Successful retrieval depends on how well the information was encoded and stored

Output

• The use of retrieved information

  • E.g. singing a song, answering a question, or applying knowledge in an exam

A computer analogy