Which of the following best describes the information processing model in psychology?

• A. It focuses on the influence of unconscious drives and childhood experiences on behavior.
• B. It proposes that behavior is shaped by genetic inheritance and biological processes alone.
• C. It emphasizes the role of observable behaviors and external stimuli in learning.
• D. It compares the human mind to a computer, suggesting that information is encoded, stored, and retrieved in sequential stages.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand that the information processing model in psychology is a cognitive framework that likens the human mind to a computer.
2. Step 2: Recognize that this model explains how information is handled by the mind through a series of stages: encoding (input), storage (maintenance), and retrieval (output).
3. Step 3: Compare this model to other psychological perspectives, such as psychoanalysis (which focuses on unconscious drives), biological approaches (which emphasize genetics and biology), and behaviorism (which focuses on observable behavior and stimuli).
4. Step 4: Identify that the information processing model specifically highlights sequential stages of mental processes, rather than unconscious motives, biological factors alone, or just observable behaviors.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the best description of the information processing model is that it compares the human mind to a computer, suggesting that information is encoded, stored, and retrieved in sequential stages.