The Effect of Schema on Memory
The Effect of a Schema on Memory
Psychology MSc, University of Hertfordshire
Abstract
Schema Theory is a principle in which cognitive processes are influenced by social and cultural factors. According to schema theory the knowledge we have stored in our memory is reorganised into a set of schemas which is based upon our general knowledge and our previous experience. Experiments have proved that despite seeing and interacting with an object almost every day, our ability to remember said object is greatly influenced by the schemas we already have. This experiment will be conducted in an almost identical way to that of French and Richards and look at the effect of schemas on memory. It was predicted that participants use their previous knowledge of Roman numerals to mistakenly draw the clock. This experiments used a between-participants, experimental design as all the participants were in three separate conditions which were then compared. In condition one and two the told to look at a clock and either forewarned that they would be tested or not, the clock was taken away and they had to reproduce it. In the last condition the clock was left in front of them when they had to reproduce it. The findings of this experiment showed that schematic knowledge of the Roman numeral system strongly influenced the participants’ drawings when drawing them from memory, but it was not strong enough to influence the subjects’ perception of the clock.
The Effect of a Schema on Memory
Schema Theory is a principle in which cognitive processes are influenced by social and cultural factors. Bartlett felt that the concept of schemas is central to the organisation of our long term memory. He defined a schema as a mental representation of knowledge and he conducted an experiment which showed how when people had trouble remembering a story from another culture they reconstructed the story to fit in with their own cultural schemas. Bartlett claimed that this is why there are often
Psychology MSc, University of Hertfordshire
Abstract
Schema Theory is a principle in which cognitive processes are influenced by social and cultural factors. According to schema theory the knowledge we have stored in our memory is reorganised into a set of schemas which is based upon our general knowledge and our previous experience. Experiments have proved that despite seeing and interacting with an object almost every day, our ability to remember said object is greatly influenced by the schemas we already have. This experiment will be conducted in an almost identical way to that of French and Richards and look at the effect of schemas on memory. It was predicted that participants use their previous knowledge of Roman numerals to mistakenly draw the clock. This experiments used a between-participants, experimental design as all the participants were in three separate conditions which were then compared. In condition one and two the told to look at a clock and either forewarned that they would be tested or not, the clock was taken away and they had to reproduce it. In the last condition the clock was left in front of them when they had to reproduce it. The findings of this experiment showed that schematic knowledge of the Roman numeral system strongly influenced the participants’ drawings when drawing them from memory, but it was not strong enough to influence the subjects’ perception of the clock.
The Effect of a Schema on Memory
Schema Theory is a principle in which cognitive processes are influenced by social and cultural factors. Bartlett felt that the concept of schemas is central to the organisation of our long term memory. He defined a schema as a mental representation of knowledge and he conducted an experiment which showed how when people had trouble remembering a story from another culture they reconstructed the story to fit in with their own cultural schemas. Bartlett claimed that this is why there are often
References: Cohen, G. (1989). Memory in the Real World. London: Erlbaum. French, C and Richards, A Morris, P.E. (1988) Expertise and Everyday memory. In M.M. Gruneberg, P.E. Morris & R.N. Skyes (Eds). Practical Aspects of Memory: Current Research and Issues, vol 1, Chichester: Wiley Motten, J (1967)