Question

An event schema is also known as a cognitive ___. a. stereotype b. concept c. script d. prototype

Short answer

c. script

Step-by-step solution

Understanding the question

The question asks for the term that can replace 'event schema' in cognitive psychology. It provides four options.

Reviewing the options

Review all four options given and verify their definitions and usage in cognitive psychology.

Identifying the correct term

The term 'event schema' in psychology is often replaced by 'script'. 'Stereotype', 'concept' and 'prototype' are terms used in cognitive psychology but they don't suitably replace the term 'event schema' in this context.

Key concepts

Cognitive Script

A cognitive script, also known as an event schema, is like a mental guidebook for navigating familiar situations. It explains what we expect to happen in particular settings based on our past experiences. Imagine going to a restaurant: your cognitive script might include:

• Entering the restaurant and waiting to be seated
• Looking at the menu to decide what to order
• Giving your order to the waiter
• Waiting for the food to arrive
• Paying the bill before leaving

These scripts help us predict events and prepare our responses, making everyday situations easier and smoother. Understanding these scripts also helps psychologists comprehend how people process experiences and memories.

Cognitive Psychology

Cognitive psychology is a branch of psychology that explores the internal mental processes of how we think, learn, and remember. It studies how people perceive, remember, speak, and solve problems. Key areas in cognitive psychology include:

• Perception: How we interpret the world through our senses
• Memory: How we store and retrieve information
• Language: How we understand and produce language
• Problem-solving: How we find solutions to obstacles and challenges

By studying these processes, cognitive psychology aims to understand how people acquire knowledge and structure their thoughts.

Mental Representation

Mental representation involves creating a mental model or image of the outside world within our minds. These mental representations allow us to store and manipulate information about objects, events, or concepts. For example:

• Visualizing a friend's face even when they're not present
• Recalling the taste of your favorite food when someone mentions it
• Imagining how a rearranged room would look

These representations are crucial for our thinking process. They help us operate effectively in our daily lives by allowing us to simulate different scenarios and outcomes.

Schema Theory

Schema theory in cognitive psychology explains how we organize and interpret information based on pre-existing structures of knowledge. Schemas are frameworks that help us process incoming data efficiently. They act as filters through which we view and give meaning to our world. These schemas can include everything from:

• Simple ideas like recognizing a dog
• Complex concepts like understanding social norms

Schemas strengthen over time through experiences and education, enabling us to predict future events or understand context more rapidly. However, they can also lead to misunderstandings if the existing schema does not fit new information. Hence, it’s essential sometimes to adjust or modify schemas to accommodate new insights.