The Cognitive Revolution at Age 50: Has the Promise of the Human Information-Processing Approach Been Fulfilled?

Abstract

The cognitive revolution and the human information-processing approach it adopted are now more than 50 years old. This article provides an overview of the history of human information processing and its relation to human factors and human-computer interaction (HCI). Fundamental concepts and findings concerning human information processing and their applications to HCI are summarized. The last half of the article discusses new developments and evaluates criticisms of human information processing and alternative approaches that have been proposed. Our conclusion is that the information-processing approach has served psychology and HCI well, providing cumulative basic and applied knowledge in a variety of areas and a basis for integrating this knowledge. The approach continues to be a fruitful source of empirical and theoretical advances across a variety of disciplines.