serial processing

information processing in which only one sequence of processing operations is carried on at a time. Those who hold that the human information-processing system operates in this way argue that the mind’s apparent ability to carry on different cognitive functions simultaneously is explained by rapid shifts between different information sources. Also called intermittent processing; sequential processing. Compare parallel processing. See also single-channel model.

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Psychology term of the day

March 17th 2025

method of choice

a psychophysical procedure in which the participant is presented with several arrays of stimuli, one of which contains the target stimulus. The participant’s task is to choose the array that contains the target stimulus.