Schema theory

What is Schema Theory?

Schema theory: Framework that investigates how we process info based on past experiences → allows us to predict new info

Cognitive schema → mental template built on past experiences, allowing us to make sense of situations, people or events.

• Humans are processors of info → Brain avoids discomfort by tying new info to existing schema’s.

Explain the key terms of Schema Theory

Schema congruence → noticing info that fits in an existing schema.

Schema incongruence → forgetting/not noticing info that doesn't fit — links to confirmation bias (Tendency to seek information that support preexisting beliefs or schema)

Accommodation → changing existing schema or creating new ones when info doesn't fit.

Assimilation = integrating new knowledge into existing schema.

Disequilibrium = mental discomfort when new info doesn't fit existing schema.

Cognitive scripts = a set of sequences and steps that typically occur in a familiar situation.

What happens when new info is encountered according to Schema Theory?

New info either fits into an existing schema → assimilation (integrating info in existing schema), or doesn't fit → disequilibrium (mental discomfort when new info doesn’t fit in schema) → accommodation (altering or creating new schema for new info that doesn’t fit).

Explain the difference between bottom-up and top-down processing (E.g.)

Bottom-up processing: raw sensory data used to build understanding of something.

• E.g. I see black colour, 4 legs, hear meow → cat.

Top-down processing: using existing knowledge and expectations to interpret info.

• E.g. same clothes and shoes as friend → assume it's them.

Explain the study of Bartlett (1932)

Aim: Investigate role of schema’s in encoding and recalling information

Procedure:

• Telling unknown, native American story to western participants

  • Schema incongruent info (info that doesn’t fit in existing schema)

• Test 1: Participants read story → told next one → told next one

• Test 2: Participants read story → told to write down story after specific time interval

Findings:

• Disequilibrium: Altered unfamiliar story created discomfort because didn’t fit in existing schema’s

• Participants altered info to fit in existing schema (assimilation) rather than creating/changing a new one (accommodation)

• Schema incongruent info (new info that does not fit into existing schema) → distorted when encoding and remembering info

Apply Bartlett (1932) to Schema Theory

• Participants avoided disequilibrium and assimilated new info into existing schema rather than accommodating.

• Schema-incongruent info tends to be distorted when taking in info (encoding) and remembering it (recall).

What are the strengths and limitations of Schema Theory & study ?

+ Explains distorted memories

+ Real life application — love & relationships

• If person has schema that they are not good enough → neutral comment may be taken personally

— Low construct validity → schemas are too vague and hypothetical to observe or measure directly,

• Are we measuring schema’s or cognitive processes such as memory when recalling story?

— Lack ecological validity → telling a story in a lab is not accurate to real life → low generalisability.

What is the real world application of Schema Theory?

Schemas influence relationships — frameworks we have on how love works can colour how we view other persons.

• We rely on past experiences with love to interpret new ones. E.g. love = I'm not good enough → neutral comment = not good enough → I am not a good husband.