8.2
Schemas
A schema is a mental construct consisting of a cluster or collection of related concepts (Bartlett, 1932). There are many different types of schemata,…
People may often encounter an abundance of information—across all of the senses. To focus attention and to minimize cognitive overload, an individual may use a generalized framework they’ve formed and modified during previous interactions with the world.
For instance, they avoid getting hit by a car based on their previous walking experience in urban settings. They look both ways and ensure that vehicles notice pedestrians in the crosswalk.
This event, a mental model of crossing streets, is also known as a schema—an organized representation for different categories of things, people, or events.
Here, the person didn’t expect to see a unicycle rider in the middle of heavy traffic. Their schema had not been updated to include that possibility, so they didn’t even notice the towering man!
Perhaps if they’d known that the circus was in town, they would have been primed for the occurrence. But at least they can now update their model.
However, not all schemas are as easy to change. For example, in the case of gender expectations, someone might have schemas related to how men and women “should” behave in the roles they are expected to fill.
If what they view is inconsistent with what they believe, instead of updating their schemas, they might hold on to their originally-held stereotypes, and even recall the scene incorrectly.
While schemas commonly encourage many to conserve mental energy and take action quickly and efficiently, they may also cause somebody to misinterpret particular situations, even circumstances outside of conscious awareness.
View the full transcript and gain access to JoVE Core videos
Q1: What is a schema and how does it help us process information?
A schema is an organized mental representation of categories, people, or events that helps the brain work more efficiently. Schemas allow us to conserve mental energy by making quick assumptions and taking action without processing every detail. For example, your street-crossing schema helps you navigate traffic safely based on past experience, reducing cognitive overload from sensory information.
Q2: How do people update their schemas when they encounter new information?
People adjust schemas through two processes: assimilation and accommodation. Assimilation occurs when new information fits existing schemas, while accommodation happens when schemas change based on new information. However, not all schemas update easily—people may hold onto stereotypes and even misremember events that contradict their existing beliefs rather than revising their mental models.
Q3: What are role schemas and how do they influence our judgments?
Role schemas are mental frameworks that make assumptions about how people in specific roles will behave. When you meet a firefighter, your brain automatically activates the firefighter schema, leading you to assume traits like bravery and selflessness without knowing the individual. These schemas help fill information gaps but can lead to stereotyping and inaccurate judgments about specific people.
Q4: What is an event schema and why are they difficult to change?
An event schema, also called a cognitive script, is a set of automatic behaviors that feel routine, like facing the elevator door or checking your phone when it rings. Event schemas are powerful and difficult to change because they operate automatically through habit. For instance, the phone-checking schema is so ingrained that people struggle to resist reaching for their phones while driving, despite knowing the danger.
Q5: How do cultural differences affect event schemas?
Event schemas vary widely across cultures and countries. While handshakes are common greetings in the United States, Tibetan greetings involve sticking out your tongue, and Belizeans bump fists. These culturally-specific event schemas feel automatic and natural to people within that culture, making cross-cultural interactions sometimes uncomfortable or confusing.
Q6: What problems can schemas create despite their efficiency benefits?
While schemas conserve mental energy, they can cause people to misinterpret situations and miss important details. If information contradicts a schema, people may ignore it or recall events incorrectly rather than updating their mental model. Schemas can also operate outside conscious awareness, leading to unconscious biases and stereotyping that affect judgment and decision-making.
Q7: Why is it challenging to break habits formed through event schemas?
Habits are difficult to break because event schemas are automatic and deeply ingrained through repetition. The brain receives pleasurable stimulation from habitual behaviors, reinforcing the schema. Psychologists recognize that thinking too much impairs decision making when trying to interrupt powerful event schemas, which is why breaking habits like texting while driving remains such a significant challenge despite awareness of the risks.