Final answer:
A schema is a mental framework built to categorize and interpret new information, helping individuals make sense of the world. They change through the processes of assimilation and accommodation. Frames are similar structures used in sociology to understand social interactions within cultural contexts.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Schemata
The term for the mental frameworks that people construct to make sense of the world and interpret new information is known as schemata (singular: schema). Schemata are cognitive structures that consist of clusters of related concepts, helping individuals to categorize and process the information they encounter in their environments.
Developed by the psychologist Jean Piaget, schemata comprise part of the theory of cognitive development which explains how children and adults perceive, assimilate, and accommodate new information. Additionally, sociologists use the concept of frames to describe similar mental structures that guide individuals in understanding social events and deciding which norms to follow in various situations.
Schemata and frames are crucial in everyday functioning, allowing us to operate efficiently without the need to consciously analyze every new stimulus. These cognitive frameworks are dynamic, changing with the acquisition of new information through two processes identified by Piaget — assimilation, where new information is incorporated into existing schemata, and accommodation, where the schemata are modified in light of new information. This is an ongoing process that helps us navigate complex social and environmental contexts throughout our lives.
Schemata are not isolated to individuals; they are also part of cultural frames, which are patterned, shared ways of making sense of situations within cultural contexts. Cultural frames inform individuals of their roles and expected behaviors in various social situations, such as in personal relationships or during specific events and celebrations.