what are schemas in psychology

In psychology and cognitive science, a schema is a pattern of thought or behavior that organizes categories of information and the relationships among them). Schemas can be mental models, social schemas, stereotypes, social roles, scripts, worldviews, heuristics, and archetypes). They are cognitive frameworks or concepts that help organize and interpret information. People use schemata to organize current knowledge and provide a framework for future understanding). In Piagets theory of development, children construct a series of schemata, based on the interactions they experience, to help them understand the world). Schemas are recognition devices whose processing is aimed at evaluating how well new information fits into itself. They are a major determinant of how people think, feel, behave, and interact socially. Schemas can be changed and reconstructed throughout a person’s life through assimilation and accommodation. Generally, psychologists believe that schemas are easier to change during childhood than later in life.