What is a schema in psychology?

• A. A mental framework that helps organize and interpret information based on prior experience.
• B. A chemical balance in the brain.
• C. A type of conditioning response.
• D. A model of a single cognitive process.

Answer: (C)

Schemas are mental frameworks that help organize knowledge and interpret information based on prior experience. They guide what we notice, how we interpret ambiguous situations, and how we remember events by providing templates from what we’ve learned before. Because they’re built from past experience, schemas shape our expectations and can fill in missing details when we encounter new information, sometimes leading to biases if something doesn’t fit the framework. This description captures how schemas function: a structure for organizing and interpreting information, not a chemical balance, not a conditioning response, and not a single cognitive process.