What Are Schemas?

Schemas are mental structures that help us organise and interpret information. Think of them as mental maps or frameworks that guide how we understand the world and interact with it. Schemas allow us to process complex information quickly, making sense of our experiences and predicting future events.

An Example

Consider the schema for "Going To A Restaurant."

This schema includes various expectations and steps based on past experiences. Here’s how it might look:

Entering the Restaurant

• You expect to be greeted by a host or hostess.
• You might wait to be seated if it’s busy.

Sitting Down

• You expect to be shown to a table and given menus.
• You anticipate sitting in a specific area (e.g., near the window, away from the kitchen).

Ordering Food

• You review the menu and decide on your order.
• You expect a waiter or waitress to come and take your order.

Eating

• You engage in conversation while waiting for your food.
• You expect the food to be delivered in courses (e.g., appetizers first, then main course).

Paying the Bill

• You signal for the check when you’re finished.
• You pay the bill and leave a tip.

This restaurant schema helps you navigate the dining experience smoothly by setting expectations and guiding your behaviour. Each schema consists of a set of routines and subroutines.

For instance, the "going to a restaurant" schema involves the main routine of dining out, which includes subroutines such as being seated, ordering food, eating, and paying the bill. These routines and subroutines streamline the process, making the experience familiar and manageable. Without schemas, each dining experience would feel unfamiliar and require significant mental effort to understand and respond appropriately.

The History of Schemas

The concept of schemas originates from psychology, first introduced by British psychologist Sir Frederic Bartlett in 1932. Bartlett emphasized that memory is reconstructive, meaning we build memories based on our pre-existing knowledge structures, or schemas.

Jean Piaget, a Swiss psychologist, further developed the idea, proposing that schemas are fundamental units of knowledge used to understand and respond to situations. He focused on how schemas evolve through assimilation and accommodation, crucial for cognitive development in children.

How Do Schemas Develop?

Schemas develop and evolve through our experiences and learning. Two main processes involved are:

• Assimilation: Incorporating new information into existing schemas.
• Accommodation: Adjusting existing schemas or creating new ones when new information doesn’t fit.

Types of Schemas

Person Schemas:

Information about individuals and their traits. For example, consider your schema for a close friend:

• Personality Traits: Friendly, outgoing, and reliable.
• Habits: Enjoys hiking on weekends, prefers texting over phone calls.
• Preferences: Likes Italian food, dislikes loud music.

Role Schemas:

Expectations for people in specific roles. For example, consider your schema for a teacher:

• behaviour: Knowledgeable, patient, and supportive.
• Responsibilities: Preparing lessons, grading assignments, providing feedback.
• Appearance: Professional attire, often carries books or a laptop.

Event Schemas (Scripts):

Sequences of actions or behaviours for particular situations. For example, consider your schema for attending a wedding:

• Arrival: Find seating, greet familiar faces.
• Ceremony: Listen to vows, witness the exchange of rings.
• Reception: Enjoy dinner, participate in dancing, give a toast or well wishes.

Self-Schemas:

Beliefs and ideas about oneself. For example, consider your schema about being a diligent student:

• Attributes: Hardworking, organised, goal-oriented.
• behaviours: Attends all classes, completes assignments on time, studies regularly.
• Goals: Aiming for high grades, participating in extracurricular activities.

Social Schemas:

General knowledge about how people behave in social settings. For example, consider your schema for a birthday party:

• Greeting: Say hello to the host, give a birthday gift.
• Activities: Participate in games, sing "Happy Birthday," enjoy cake.
• Etiquette: Thank the host before leaving, engage in polite conversation with guests.

The Function of Schemas

Schemas play several vital roles in our daily lives:

• Simplifying Information Processing
• Enhancing Memory
• Guiding behaviour
• Facilitating Learning
• Shaping Perception

What Schemas Help With

Schemas are crucial in various aspects of life and mental health:

• Autism : Establishing predictable routines.
• Anxiety Disorders: Creating a sense of control and predictability.
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Managing the need for order and predictability.
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Helping understand and process traumatic experiences.
• Learning Disabilities: Providing structured frameworks for understanding new information.
• Social Interactions: Guiding appropriate behaviour in different contexts.

Schemas and Mental Health

While schemas generally help us function efficiently, maladaptive schemas can contribute to mental health issues. Jeffrey Young’s Schema Therapy addresses these dysfunctional patterns. Common maladaptive schemas include:

• Abandonment
• Mistrust/Abuse
• Emotional Deprivation
• Defectiveness/Shame
• Failure

Negative Impact of Schemas

While helpful, schemas can lead to negative outcomes if too rigid or if standards are unmet. For example, a schema for "being a successful student" might include:

• Attending all classes
• Completing assignments on time
• Achieving high grades
• Participating in extracurricular activities

Failing at one subroutine can lead to stress and a sense of inadequacy.