Language
Country/Area
No result found
The Connectionist Revolution: How New Perspectives on Brain Science Transformed Psychology in the 1980s?
In the 1980s, the field of psychology underwent a pivotal revolution that not only changed our understanding of human thinking but also redefined the relationship between the mind and the brain. All of this stems from the rise of connectionism, an emerging theory that overturns the views of traditional cognitive psychology and interprets the workings of the human mind from a completely new perspective.
Connectionism emphasizes the concept of distributed processing, which is a new approach compared to the closed systems of early information processing. It believes that human thoughts are not isolated, but are composed of multiple interconnected "nodes". In this model, information processing is similar to computer operations, and knowledge is formed through the activation of connected nodes.
"Unlike semantic networks, the knowledge here is not represented by a single specific node, but by a combination of different activated nodes."
Multiple Models of Cognitive Processes
During this period, many models and theories were proposed to describe how humans process information. Among them, Sternberg's triarchic theory of intelligence is a typical example. According to this theory, intelligence consists of three components: creative, analytical, and practical, and these abilities work together to enable individuals to filter and solve problems.
“Creativity is the ability to generate new ideas, while analytical skills help individuals decide whether these ideas are good or bad.”
In this model, cognitive processing is defined as three distinct components: a metacomponent, a representational component, and a knowledge acquisition component. Each part plays a key role in its own process, determining how we move from higher-order executive functions to lower-order functions.
How working memory works
The working memory model provides an effective framework for discussions of information processing. According to the Atkinson-Shiffrin multiple store model, information must pass through three stages: sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory before entering long-term memory.
"Working memory is described as the science of collecting, manipulating, storing, and retrieving recorded information."
In this model, the central executive is like the brain's secretary, responsible for deciding what to pay attention to and how to respond. Compared to the limited capacity of short-term memory, long-term memory can potentially store information indefinitely.
Piaget's theory of cognitive development
Another perspective is Piaget's theory of cognitive development, which proposes that humans have different cognitive abilities at different stages of development. He divided cognitive development into four stages and pointed out that as people age, the way they process information changes.
"During the sensorimotor stage, infants rely on their senses to process information and respond with reflexive behaviors."
In Piaget's model, cognitive abilities improve with age, which is crucial to understanding intellectual development in children and adolescents.
ConclusionOverall, the connectionist revolution changed our understanding of psychology, making us aware of the profound complexity of information processing and its achievements. This new perspective undoubtedly points the way for future psychological research. As technology advances, will we find more clues to the mysteries of the human mind?
