The comprehensive sequence of mental operations, encompassing perception, encoding, storage, retrieval, and decision-making, by which the human brain receives sensory input and transforms it into meaningful output or action. This complex, multi-stage cognitive process is subject to inherent limitations in capacity and speed, often modeled as a system with finite attentional and working memory resources. Understanding the efficiency of information processing is fundamental to assessing overall cognitive health and performance. It forms the core of cognitive psychology.
Origin
The term originates in the mid-20th century with the cognitive revolution, replacing behaviorism by modeling the mind as an active processor analogous to a computer. This framework provided a structured, scientific way to study mental operations, moving beyond simple stimulus-response models. It is the foundational concept for understanding all higher-order cognitive functions.
Mechanism
Information processing is orchestrated by a distributed network of cortical and subcortical structures, with the prefrontal cortex serving as the central executive. Sensory information is filtered by attentional mechanisms, encoded in working memory via short-term synaptic changes, and consolidated into long-term memory through processes like long-term potentiation (LTP). The speed and accuracy of this processing are critically modulated by the availability of key neurotransmitters, such as acetylcholine and dopamine, which regulate synaptic efficiency and neuronal excitability.
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