Information-processing theory
Definition :Theory for understanding how people deal with sensory information
It is actually a large set of diverse and disparate ideas about cognitive processes and provides yet another avenue for studying media audience activity.
Often uses mechanistic analogies to describe and interpret how each of us takes in an makes sense of the flood of information our senses encounter every moment of each day.
Offers fresh insight into our routine handing of information. It challenges some basic assumptions about the way we take in and
use sensory data.
Strengths
Provides specificity for what is generally considered routine, unimportant behavior.
Provides objective perspective on leaning; mistakes are routine and natural.
Permits exploration of a wide variety of media content.
Produces consistent results across a wide range of communication situations and settings
Weaknesses
Is too oriented toward the micro-level.
Overemphasizes routine media consumption.
Focuses too much on cognition, ignoring such factors as emotion
