Steps in Information Processing

Information processing is an active process of creating and storing meaning. Although we never completely shut off this process (even when asleep, we make sense of the world through dreams), we may close down our processing of a particular message, especially if the message is poorly designed. Our attention can wander, we can misinterpret the message, or we can forget it almost before it is over. Because there are so many points at which processing can break down, it is important to understand factors that make messages vulnerable to distortion. One way to examine these factors is to divide information process­ing into three steps and look at each in turn, keeping in mind, of course, that the steps are interrelated.

The first step in information processing is attention. Here receivers filter out extraneous stimuli and focus on the elements that are central to a message. This step is important: if attention fails, receivers will focus on unimportant de­tails and miss vital information.

The second step, interpretation, consists of two parts: comprehension and acceptance. When receivers comprehend a message, they understand its mean­ing and intent, and they relate it to other information. If comprehension fails, re­ceivers are confused and uncertain about the point of the message. Acceptance occurs when receivers evaluate the message and decide it is worth further pro­cessing. As a result of acceptance, receivers incorporate message elements into their own belief systems and, in the case of persuasive messages, act on this in­formation. Comprehension and acceptance are interrelated. Without some de­gree of acceptance, receivers will dismiss a message without bothering to com­prehend it. Conversely, without comprehension full acceptance is impossible.

The third step is retention. If messages are to be of any use, receivers must store them accurately and retrieve them at appropriate times. All three of these steps must occur if a message is to be effectively processed, and good communi­cators design their messages so that all three steps occur.