HUMAN INFORMATION PROCESSING

THE GENERAL SYSTEM

THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

THE BRAIN

Function

Body's computer

Location

Located in a rigid bony skull surrounded by cerebrospinal fluid

Composition

Cerebrum

Largest and most highly developed part of the brain

concerned with complex functions i.e memory//perception//voluntary movement

Cerebellum

Responsible for balance and muscular co-ordination

The brain stem

Links the brain to spinal cord

controls heart beat. blood pressure, breathing, body temp, pleasure, hunger

THE SPINAL CHORD

Contained within the spinal column which consists of vertebrae and disks

openings between vertebrae allow nerves to enter and leave the spinal chord as they pass to and from the rest of the body

THE PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

Connects the Central nervous system to the body organ systems

Comprises of somatic and Autonomic systems

Somatic

includes sensory nerves which carry messages from the sense organs to the brain for processing

Autonomic

Biological control system

Includes only motor nerves which regulate bodily functions i.e breathing, sweating

Reflexes

Functioning of both somatic and autonomic system

SENSE AND SENSITIVITY

we react to changes in the body's internal and external environment through sensory reception.

sensitivity is the receptors ability to respond to a stimuls

sensory threshold

a threshold below which a receptor cannot detect a stimulus

adaptation

repetitive stimulation of a receptor can lead to adaptation where the body gradually decreases its response to a stimulus.

MEMORY

Brain's ability to store and recall information

Types

Sensory/immedite memory

memory from your sense. i.e looking briefly at a visual image

short term/working

up to seven types of unrelated information for about 10-20seconds

People often use chunking to increase their short term memory

working memory because new information can be actioned and processed to become long term

Long term

semantic

storage in word form

ability and understanding

Episodic

Event memory responsible for storing episodes experienced during our daily life.

Remembering and forgetting

Once information has been stored, it can be retrieved or recalled at any time

recollection

recover or reproduce information that we have stored in our memory

recognition

Identification of information or material that we have encountered previously

Forgetting

classified under effect of time, interference or motivation

Amnersia

Loss of the ability to remember

commonly affects episodic memory only

Types and causes

Age

deterioration due to cardio-vascular system causing too little blood flow to the brain

Alcoholism

long term results in deterioration of brain cells and thus memory

Head injuries

results in temp amnesia

auditory amnesia

no memory for words and visual is inability to recognise objects

Fugue state

Psychiatric condition lasting a few weeks where total memory loss occurs caused by emotional trauma

Information processing

Attention and Vigilance

ability to process information is determined by attention span and short term memory

Selective attention

prioritising the sensory input stimuli, resulting in other important information being overlooked

Divided attention

still possible for other stimuli to intrude and divide our attention i.e overhearing your name

information collection and processing

Function of the brain

info gathered by senses is transmitted by the nervous system to the brain where it is evaluated and a course of action is decided upon

only able to make one decision at a time

Structure

Sensory stimuli - Short term memory - Central decision maker//motor programmes - action - feedback

The stimulus/perception

provided by senses

Mental or mindset

one of the dangers of inexperience is expectation

Errors in perception