In cognitive science, a schema is like a mental blueprint or framework that helps us understand and organize our thoughts. Schema are like building blocks for our thinking process (Rumelhart, 1978). Schemata can help forecast behavior (Myers et al., 2005) and also shape how we perceive and pay attention to information. We tend to notice things that fit with our existing ideas and ignore or change things that don’t fit. Schemata are quite fixed, even when we come across confusing or conflicting information. We might dismiss or twist the information to match our existing ideas. For example, an athlete might think they will always face hostility when playing in an opponent’s stadium. It’s important to know that these processes usually happen without us realizing it (Myers et al., 2005).
Myers, D. G., Spencer, J. S., & Jordan, H. C. (2005). Social psychology (5th Canadian edition). North York: Pearson Canada.
Rumelhart, D. E. (1978). Schemata: The building blocks of cognition. San Diego, CA: Center for Human Information Processing, University of California, San Diego.