Schema Theory:
Networks of knowledge, beliefs and expectations about the world. They organise information so it can be accessed when needed. Schema affects memory at encoding, storage and retrieval. A mental representation of knowledge.
Two Sources:
Bottom-Up Processes -> sensory system
Top-Down Memory -> stored in memory
Piaget – children are born with innate schemas
Effects of Schema:
- remember the ‘gist’ of things
- make sense of incoming information
- incomplete we fill with schema information – reconstructive memory and cognitive distortions
- ignore aschematic information (Brewer and Treyens)
- We focus on schematic information that leads to confirmation bias
Studies
Bartlett (1932)
People rationalised based on the cultural expectations in their schemaGauld and Stephenson (1967)
Critic of Bartlett’s methodBransford and Johnson (1972)
schemas in accurate recall of memoryBrewer and Treyens (1981)
Why memory is better than schema theory makes out
Evaluation:
- Useful in explaining cognitive processes
- Explains reconstructive nature of memory
- too vague to be useful
- does not clearly explain how schemas are acquired
- methodological flaws in some research
- focuses on inaccuracies when memory is actually very accurate
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