Final answer:
The correct term for a cognitive script is 'B. event,' known as an event schema, which outlines automatic behavior routines in specific situations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer to the student's question is 'B. event.' An event schema, also known as a cognitive script, is essentially a set of behaviors and routines one automatically engages in during certain situations. For example, there's a specific schema most people follow when entering and riding in an elevator, which includes letting people out before entering, turning to face the doors, and pressing the button for the desired floor. Event schemata are powerful because they are automatic and can vary between different cultures, such as greeting customs. They can also be challenging to change, like the difficulty in resisting the urge to check one's phone upon hearing the ringtone while driving.
Another type of schema is a role schema, which involves assumptions about how someone will behave based on their social or professional role, like the expectations one might have when meeting a firefighter. Schemata, in general, are mental constructs that organize information efficiently, triggering immediate assumptions about observed persons or objects.