Which theory describes cognitive development as gradual improvements in memory, interpretation, and perception rather than discrete stages?

• A. Information-Processing Model
• B. Psychoanalytic Theory
• C. Social-Cognitive Theory
• D. Biopsychology

Answer: (A)

The Information-Processing Model explains cognitive development as gradual improvements in memory, interpretation, and perception rather than abrupt, qualitative changes. This view treats thinking like a set of processes (encoding, storage, retrieval) that become more efficient with age—memory capacity grows, strategies get better, and processing speed increases—leading to steady, continuous development instead of distinct stages. In other words, growth is incremental as children refine how they attend to information, interpret it, and solve problems. Other theories focus on different aspects—psychoanalytic theory on unconscious conflicts and drives, social-cognitive theory on learning from others and self-regulation, and biopsychology on brain biology—rather than on continuous enhancements in core cognitive processes.