In cognitive models, there is a strong mapping between human and computer processing. Computer input is mapped to humans in ways of perception; processing and memory in computers are aligned with human contemplation; the machine’s output with human actions and behaviors. While it is a useful model for simplifying the complexities of humans by comparing our behaviors to that of machines, the way in which we process information is significantly different than computers.
It is hard to replicate human processing with hardware
Information processing in humans is deviously more complicated than in any computer system, as we have recently discovered. Researchers have been able to simulate a single second of human brain activity with 82,944 processors in 40 minutes, consuming of 1 Petabyte of system memory.1 It is also worth noting that this process only created a artificial neural network of 1.73 billion nerve cells as compared to our brain’s 80-100 billion nerve cell network.
Emotions affect our cognitive processing
Humans emotions affect every aspect of our cognitive processing. This is one reason why there is immense value in qualitative research. The complete human-computer experience cannot be strictly defined by response times; the level of enjoyment and perceived effectiveness must also be measured in order to create better user experiences.
Research on progress bars has determined that backwards moving animations seem faster to users than forward moving animations.2 Humans do not percieve the concept of time the same as a computer as illustrated by the reserach on progress bars. In the study, users perceived the loading time to be 11% longer when the progress bar was forward moving despite the fact the loading times were the same in each trial. Users experience events analyzed through perceptions in the mind; it is not a binary experience as in a computing machine.
Humans have bodies
Like emotions, we often overlook the affect our physical self has on information processing. We use our physical surroundings as cues in our memory and accelerated functioning. Unlike computers, we do not store every pixel of visual information about our surroundings. Instead, we rely on a our additional senses to construct visual representations of our surroundings. 3