Cognitive Schemas [Role of Cognitive Schemas in Cognitive Behavior Therapy]

Cognitive Schemas [Role of Cognitive Schemas in Cognitive Behavior Therapy] A schema is a cognitive structure that serves as a framework for one’s knowledge about people, places, objects, and events. A schema is a preconceived idea that we use to interpret the new information. Schemas help people organize their knowledge of the world and understand new information. While these mental shortcuts are useful in helping us make sense of the large amount of information we encounter on a daily basis, they can also narrow our thinking and result in stereotypes. Schemas are the building blocks of knowledge, which is explained by Piaget’s (1936) theory of cognitive development. He explains how a child constructs a mental model of the world. Piaget defined a schema as: “a cohesive, repeatable action sequence possessing component actions that are tightly interconnected and governed by a core meaning.” A schema is a mental representation that enables us to organize our knowledge into categories. Our schemas help us simplify our interactions with the world. They are mental shortcuts that can both help us and hurt us. We use our schemas to learn and think more quickly. However, some of our schemas may also be stereotypes that cause us to misinterpret or incorrectly recall information.