Recording-piaget schema accommodation ans assimilation of new information

Definition: A schema is a generalization of past experiences that forms a scripted pattern of thought.
Example: Different mental processes when thinking about going to a restaurant:
- Some visualize standing in line, ordering, eating, and disposing of trash.
- Others imagine being seated, sharing dishes, and leaving a generous tip.
Analogy: A schema can be visualized as a child's toy that provides a mental framework.

When new information aligns with existing knowledge (e.g., recognizing a square when already understanding a triangle), it enters the brain through assimilation.
If the new information is completely different (e.g., learning about a star), accommodation is required - this involves changing the existing schema.
Cognitive Process:
- Assimilation: Integrating new information into existing frameworks.
- Accommodation: Remodeling existing schemas to incorporate new understandings.

Example of color blindness:
- A person cannot truly understand the color red without experiencing it, illustrating the need for accommodation for unique experiences.

Overview: Frederick Bartlett illustrated how schemas unconsciously impact memory and perception.
Method: He read a native American folktale to British students and monitored their recollection over time.
Findings: Three key observations emerged:
1. Omission of Unfamiliar Detail:
  - Students often forgot details (e.g., hunting seals) that didn't fit their cultural schema, leading to difficulties in understanding and retaining this information.
  - Resulting memory is not transferred into long-term recall.
2. Familiarization of the Strange:
  - Some students who remembered hunting seals later described it as fishing, reflecting the tendency to adapt unfamiliar experiences into familiar contexts.
  - This showcases how unique information is often channeled through familiar schemas, altering original experiences.
3. Rationalization of the Illogical:
  - Initially, the tale seemed strange to students, yet, over time, they began to rationalize it as sensible (e.g., interpreting going to war as merely wanting to fish).
  - Indicates that memory is flexible and can continuously change upon repeated recall, showing that long-term memories are not fixed and can be adjusted.

Bartlett's experiment supports existentialist views that people constantly construct and adjust their past memories.
Much of what is remembered is rationalized into a coherent self-narrative that provides meaning to life events.
Jean Piaget's contribution: He argued that experiences are structured into schemata, which help individuals make sense of the world.