| Schemas: Schemas are conceptual paradigms that people rely on to aid them in information processing, decision making and memory. A schema for a certain social situation might contain the sequence of events that is normally associated with that situation. Our schema for visiting a friend may include calling ahead of time, greeting our friend, interacting with them and finally thanking them. Schemas can help to make certain routines become second nature and also help us to develop mental representations or “theories” about how our world operates. Sometimes we use schemas to help us remember certain events more clearly. For example we can question our schemas to prod us into remembering memories or hard to recall facts. For example I might forget what I wore last Sunday, but remembering that I attended a wedding might help jog my memory. Using schemas incorrectly however can easily lead to cognitive errors. Imagine a person that just realized that they left their jacket at work sometime in the last week. If the person usually takes the bus to work then they might follow a certain schema about taking the bus in order to retrace all of their steps. This schema may influence them to call the bus line. Imagine though that on the day that they lost their jacket they got a ride from a friend. This is an instance where relying on knowledge about a schema, will not help. Sometimes you have to think outside the box and consider the possibilities of other less normative routines coming into play. When the person realizes this they might think about other ways of getting to work and they might think of calling their friend. Paradigm: noun Something that serves as a model or pattern. A set of beliefs, value or practices that constitutes a way of thought. A systematic conceptualization in an intellectual discipline. |
| Organization for the Advancement of Interdisciplinary Learning |
Psychology