Cognitive Approach Flashcards
What is a schema?
A schema contains all the information you know about an object, action or concept
What is the schema of a human face for example?
The information that a face has 2 eyes, a mouth a nose
What does a schema help you to do?
Organise and interpret information and experience
What happens when information is consistent with a schema?
It is assimilated into the schema e.g. a child’s schema for an apple may be green, hard and edible therefore when a child sees a green apple the experience is assimilated and the schema is strengthened
What happens when information is inconsistent with the schema?
Accommodation occurs and the schema has to change to resolve the problem e.g if a child sees a red apple they have to accommodate this new info- it becomes hard, edible and red or green
What is a role schema?
These are ideas about the behaviour which is expected from someone in certain role setting or situation
What is an example of a role schema?
A schema for a doctor may be someone who is intelligent, respectable and sensible
What is an event schema?
They contain information about what happens in a situation
What is an example of event schema?
Going to a restaurant and expecting to read a menu and place an order
What is a self schema?
These contain information about ourselves based on physical characteristics and personality as well as beliefs and values
What is an example of self schema?
If your health schema says your are health conscious you are likely to eat healthily and exercise regularly
What are the problems with schema?
Issue of prejudice and stereotype outcomes
Likely to pay attention to information we can easily assimilate and ignore information that would involve changing our schema to accommodate
What was Bartlett experiment?
English participants were asked to read a Native American folk tale called ‘The war of the ghosts’. It was an unfamiliar story with unusual names,objects and structure. They were then asked to recall the information after different lengths of time.
What were the results of Bartlett’s experiment?
All participants changed the story to fit their own schemes. The details became more English. The longer time left between hearing and recalling meant less was remembered
What was the conclusion of Bartlett’s experiment?
People use their own schema to help interpret and remember the world around them
