Schema Theory Questions

Front

Define Schema.

Back

A schema is a mental framework that organizes knowledge, beliefs, and expectations about the world.

Front

Give a practical example of a social schema.

Back

Expecting teachers to be knowledgeable, professional, and organized.

Front

What are the main functions of schemas?

Back

Schemas simplify information processing and help us quickly interpret situations.

Front

Name three types of schemas.

Back

Social schema, self-schema, script schema.

Front

What is Schema Activation?

Back

Triggering schemas through relevant cues or situations, guiding perception and memory.

Front

Explain Confirmation Bias.

Back

Tendency to notice and recall information consistent with pre-existing beliefs or schemas.

Front

Summarize Cohen’s (1981) waitress/librarian study.

Back

Participants remembered schema-consistent details about a woman described as either a waitress or librarian, demonstrating schematic processing and memory bias.

Front

What does Cohen’s study demonstrate about schemas?

Back

Schemas influence memory, causing selective recall of schema-consistent information.

Front

Explain the basketball player study by Stone et al. (2010).

Back

Participants rated black players as athletic and white players as intelligent, showing confirmation bias linked to racial stereotypes.

Front

How does Stone’s study relate to stereotypes?

Back

Shows that activating racial schemas reinforces stereotypes through selective attention and recall.