Cognitive Architecture Vocabulary

the cognitive process of selectively focusing on relevant information

“Divided attention degrades performance on complex tasks.”

the system for temporarily holding and manipulating information

“Working memory limits how many items we can juggle simultaneously.”

accessing stored information from memory

“Retrieval cues help us access memories that seem forgotten.”

grouping individual pieces of information into larger units

“Experts chunk chess positions into meaningful patterns.”

exposure to one stimulus influencing response to a subsequent stimulus

“Seeing 'doctor' primes faster recognition of 'nurse'.”

activation of one concept triggering related concepts in a network

“Spreading activation explains why one memory leads to another.”

identifying regularities or structures in sensory input

“Pattern recognition allows us to read despite varied handwriting.”

a mental framework for organizing and interpreting information

“Our restaurant schema includes expectations of menus and servers.”

the total amount of mental effort being used in working memory

“High cognitive load impairs learning and decision-making.”

performing tasks without conscious attention due to practice

“Reading becomes automatic, freeing attention for comprehension.”

suppressing irrelevant information or prepotent responses

“Cognitive inhibition prevents us from blurting out inappropriate thoughts.”

thinking about one's own thinking; awareness of cognitive processes

“Metacognition helps learners identify gaps in understanding.”