Large stores of information are required for natural information processing systems. Human long-term memory provides this store for the human cognitive system. Thus, long-term memory is central to all cognitive functions. 

Johns Hopkins University

The human cognitive system is a natural information processing system which has similar characteristics to the evolutionary system. Thus, there are similarities between the acquisition of the two types of knowledge. These similarities are specified in five principles

Assumption 2: Natural Information Processing System

Sweller, J. (2011). Cognitive load theory. In Psychology of learning and motivation (Vol. 55, pp. 37-76). Academic Press.

Cognitive Load Theory

Information Store Principle

Borrowing information is one of the most important ways for acquiring a large information store. The borrowed information is altered to fit preexisting information in one's own stores. 

Borrowing and Reorganizing Principle

There must be a first instance of creation for any information before dissemination; random generation is the ultimate source of this type of information creation. In human cognition, borrowed information has their first instance created during (novel) problem solving, which is a process involving the (random) generation of new procedures. 

Randomness as Genesis Principle

Random generations must deal with small numbers of elements at a time to be effective, because the possible permutations that needs to be tested increases factorially as the number of elements increase. 

Narrow Limits of Change Principle

The process of translating information into actions is influenced by the external environment. Working memory uses signals from the environment to organize and use long-term memory for current actions. 

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