Explain Schema Theory with reference to one study

Schema Theory

Schema theory suggests that information is stored and organized in mental frameworks called schemas, which help us interpret and understand the world.

Schemas

Categories of knowledge built from past experiences. They allow us to make sense of new information by connecting it to what we already know.

Development of Schemas

Schemas start simple in early life and become more complex as we gain experiences. For example, a child might call all furry animals “cats” before learning to distinguish between cats and bunnies.

Function of Schemas

Schemas help us take mental shortcuts, allowing for faster understanding and decision-making in new situations.

Top-Down Processing

Using pre-existing knowledge, ideas, and expectations to interpret new information. Example: knowing how to use a new phone because of your existing “phone” schema.

Bottom-Up Processing

Processing new sensory information and fitting it into existing schemas. Example: a child sees a bunny and categorizes it as a “cat” based on similar features.

Study Supporting Schema Theory — Bartlett (1932)

Aimed to investigate whether schemas and previous knowledge affect the accuracy of memory recall.

Bartlett (1932) — Method

Participants with a Western cultural background were read a Native American folk story (“War of the Ghosts”). They were asked to recall it after 15 minutes.

Bartlett (1932) — Findings

Participants remembered main ideas but changed unfamiliar details to fit their cultural schemas (e.g., “canoes” → “boats”) and shortened the story by omitting less meaningful parts.

Bartlett (1932) — Conclusion

Memory is reconstructive. People use their existing schemas to interpret and recall information, leading to distortions that fit prior knowledge.

How Bartlett Supports Schema Theory

The study shows that schemas influence how we encode, store, and recall information, supporting the idea that memory is guided by pre-existing knowledge frameworks.

Strength of Schema Theory

Explains how memory can be influenced by prior experiences and why people interpret information differently.

Limitation of Schema Theory

It is vague and hard to test scientifically

schemas cannot be directly observed and may oversimplify how memory works.

SAQ Link

Schema theory explains how knowledge is organized into schemas that shape memory and perception. Bartlett (1932) supports this by showing how cultural schemas distort recall.