How Social Schemas Theory and Related Research Contributes to Our Understanding of the Way in Which People Evaluate and React in Their Social Environment
How social schemas theory and related research contributes to our understanding of the way in which people evaluate and react in their social environment
Cognitive representations of social situations are referred to as 'schemas'. These are mental structures, active in our brain, providing us with a knowledge store which determines how we view our social surroundings. These schemas are built from organised pre-registered data which determine our reactions to, and perceptions of, everyday life activity. They have different category identification, including person, role and event schemas, each a mental structure of a particular trait, role or situation.
This assignment aims to evaluate our understanding of the social environment using the contributions resultant from social schemas theory and other related research. We will discuss evidence, that both supports and rejects this claim, including strengths, weaknesses and limitations.
The concept of schemas was first introduced by Bartlett (1932). He used it to examine how schemas could affect memory by asking participants to recall a story at different retention periods. He found that the story became distorted each time it was recalled, thus fitting with the participant's own schemas of culture, roles and events. “Using more recent terminology, Barlett was suggesting that the knowledge contained within schemata operates in a top-down fashion to influence the processes of perception and memory.” (Brace & Roth, 2007, p.132). In other words the information is flowing down from the stored knowledge within the brain.
Schemas do affect memory process knowledge, both in a positive and negative sense. In a positive way they do simplify reality, and help us to make sense of current experiences and situations that we become involved in. However, on the negative side, they process incoming situation data and provide a standard response, based on previous experiences of similiar situations, thus
Cognitive representations of social situations are referred to as 'schemas'. These are mental structures, active in our brain, providing us with a knowledge store which determines how we view our social surroundings. These schemas are built from organised pre-registered data which determine our reactions to, and perceptions of, everyday life activity. They have different category identification, including person, role and event schemas, each a mental structure of a particular trait, role or situation.
This assignment aims to evaluate our understanding of the social environment using the contributions resultant from social schemas theory and other related research. We will discuss evidence, that both supports and rejects this claim, including strengths, weaknesses and limitations.
The concept of schemas was first introduced by Bartlett (1932). He used it to examine how schemas could affect memory by asking participants to recall a story at different retention periods. He found that the story became distorted each time it was recalled, thus fitting with the participant's own schemas of culture, roles and events. “Using more recent terminology, Barlett was suggesting that the knowledge contained within schemata operates in a top-down fashion to influence the processes of perception and memory.” (Brace & Roth, 2007, p.132). In other words the information is flowing down from the stored knowledge within the brain.
Schemas do affect memory process knowledge, both in a positive and negative sense. In a positive way they do simplify reality, and help us to make sense of current experiences and situations that we become involved in. However, on the negative side, they process incoming situation data and provide a standard response, based on previous experiences of similiar situations, thus
References: Brace, N & Roth, I. (2007) Memory:structures, processes and skills. In D. Miell, A. Phoenix, & K. Thomas (Eds.), Mapping Psychology. Milton Keynes: The Open University. Buchanan, K, Anand, P, Joffe, H & Thomas K (2007) Perceiving and understanding the social world. In D. Miell, A. Phoenix, & K. Thomas (Eds.), Mapping Psychology. Milton Keynes: The Open University.