The Cognitive Approach - Schemas

Question 1

What is a schema?

Answer 1

a schema is a cognitive framework that organises information about the world around us

Question 2

A schema is a packet…

Answer 2

it is a packet of information in our brain that categorises objects and concepts into groups

Question 3

What are we all born with the innate ability to do?

Answer 3

we are all born with the innate ability to build schemas and they go on to be built over time via the experiences that we have

Question 4

What may experiences be?

Answer 4

experiences may be direct, but they can also be indirect

Question 5

How do schemas start off and how do they develop?

Answer 5

schemas start out basic but become more sophisticated with more experience

Question 6

We use schemas as a reference point to help us…

Answer 6

we use schemas as a reference point to help us interpret and make sense of the world around us and tell us how to behave appropriately

Question 7

What is an example of a schema?

Answer 7

• for example, if a small, fully, white dog approaches me while I’m out walking my dog, I will very quickly refer to the knowledge contained in my ‘dog schema’ and it will tell me that this dog is likely to be friendly, so I’ll go over and say hello
• however, if the dog that approaches me looks big and aggressive, the interpretation will be different and so my behaviour will change. I will put my dog on a lead and walk in the opposite direction

Question 8

What types of situations do we find ourselves in and what does this mean?

Answer 8

we often find ourselves in ambiguous situations where there is a lot of information to process, and we are unsure of how to behave

Question 9

In ambiguous situation, what will schemas allow us to take?

Answer 9

in these situations, schemas allow us to take ‘cognitive shortcuts’ in our decision-making by referring to whatever limited information we have in a schema to help us interpret the situation

Question 10

What do cognitive shortcuts allow us to do?

Answer 10

this allows us to behave appropriately even when we are unaware of all the specific details surrounding what we should say, do, or think

Question 11

What are the 4 types of schemas?

Answer 11

• person
• social
• self
• event

Question 12

While schemas can be beneficial for improving ___________ ___________, there are possible negative consequences which can prove to be very ___________.

Answer 12

while schemas can be beneficial for improving COGNITIVE EFFICIENCY, there are possible negative consequences which can prove to be very DANGEROUS

Question 13

When it comes to the development of our ________ schemas, the type of information we are exposed to about people can lead to ____________ and mischaracterisations about groups of people. ie ___________

Answer 13

when it comes to the development of our ‘PERSON’ schemas, the type of information we are exposed to about people can lead to MISCONCEPTIONS and mischaracterisations about groups of people. ie STEREOTYPES

Question 14

What can stereotypes build a schema of?

Answer 14

we might then build a schema containing negative information, and then this can cause us to think in prejudiced ways about people

Question 15

What was the aim of Allport and Postman (1947)?

Answer 15

to investigate how schemas effect recall

Question 16

What was the method of Allport and Postman (1947)?

Answer 16

• participants shown picture of an argument with a well-dressed black man and a white man with a razor
• participants passed the story to each other through serial reproduction

Question 17

What was the result of Allport and Postman (1947)?

Answer 17

when asked to recall details of the picture opposite, participants tended to report that it was the black man who was holding the razor

Question 18

What was the conclusion of Allport and Postman (1947)?

Answer 18

• clearly this is not correct and shows that memory is an active process and can be changed to ‘fit in’ with what we expect to happen based on your knowledge and understanding of society (eg our schemas)
• the study shows the social environment and what we expect distorts our memory
• people had cultural stereotypes which influenced their story

Question 19

What do schemas provide the psychological basis of?

Answer 19

schemas provide the psychological basis of racism, homophobia, sexism etc.

Question 20

Because the vast majority of schemas are not innate…

Answer 20

because the vast majority of schemas are not innate, we have the ability to rebuild our schemas

Question 21

The more aware we are of what we are thinking, the easier…

Answer 21

the more aware we are of what we are thinking, the easier it is to challenge our own views and reconstruct them
- check your thinking and ask ‘is it true? where did this view come from?’

Question 22

How can prejudiced views be reconstructed?

Answer 22

prejudiced views can also be reconstructed by exposing ourselves to wide and varied experiences
- read more, travel more, watch different TV programmes