17 — Schemata

Flashcards about Schemata and Memory

What is a schema?

Mental model about the world and particular aspects about it.

Give an example of a schema.

Laundry schema.

How does the rigidity of schemata change over a lifetime?

They become more fixed with age and experience.

How do schemata affect memory?

It is easier to remember things.

How do schemata impact memory recall?

Fill in the details based on prior knowledge.

What function do schemata serve?

Predictive models.

How does schemata function as predictive models?

Allows for mind to predict outcome of action or event and explain sensory information.

What is the consequence of better schemata?

More accurate predictions.

What aspect of cognition is related to schemata?

All levels of cognition, from low-level sensory priors to high-level judgements.

What is the central idea behind Bayesian statistics?

Considering likelihood of a finding, given all other scientific or worldly knowledge.

How do schemata help us navigate the world?

They allow us to navigate the world in a cognitively efficient manner.

What is a drawback of using schemata?

They can distort memory and perception, in predictable ways

What is a symptom of more fixed schemata?

More fixed thinking; less open-mindedness and flexibility.

What type of tale is 'War of the Ghosts'?

A Native American folktale.

How was the plot changed in Serial reproductions of 'War of the Ghosts'?

The story lost detail over time.

How did distortions affect the instances of magic in 'War of the Ghosts'?

Instances of magic became more rational and/or Christian-coded.

How were schemas related to the participants' distortion of 'War of the Ghosts'?

Distortions fit participants’ schema.

What does drawing a picture from memory demonstrate?

Prior knowledge being used to reconstruct memory.

What is an intrusion error?

Recalling something that wasn't there but fits the schema.

What causes an intrusion error?

Schema that was activated.

What affects our memory of what we actually saw in an office?

Our schema about what an office typically contains.

How does imagination relate to schemata?

Imagination draws upon schemata to "fill-in" details

Why do some participants think they saw image B instead of A?

Many participants pick B as the image they saw before!

How can bias affect object recognition?

Bias towards whole objects?

What is gist?

Memory for overall meaning.

What causes intrusion errors to arise?

Intrusion errors can arise from gist consistent information (which was not presented).

How does a general schema relate to intrusion errors?

Intrusion errors fit with the general schema activated.

Is memory a direct recording of events?

Memory is NOT like a computer or video camera.

What aspects of memory are affected by schemata?

Encoding, storage, and retrieval all affected by schemata.

Why is reconstructive memory mostly accurate?

Reconstructive memory is (mostly) accurate due to regularities in the world.