What role do schemas have in shaping memory?

Schemas play a critical role in shaping memory by influencing how individuals perceive and remember experiences. This is because schemas are cognitive frameworks that help organize and interpret information based on prior knowledge and beliefs. When a person encounters new information or experiences, their existing schemas guide the way they process and store this new information. For instance, if someone has a schema for dining in a restaurant, they will expect certain things, such as being seated, ordering food, and paying the bill, which can shape both their experience and their memory of that outing.

As a result, schemas can help people understand and remember events by providing a structure for interpreting what happens. However, this can also lead to biases or distortions in memory, as individuals might remember details that fit their schemas while forgetting or misremembering aspects that do not conform to their expectations. Thus, schemas are fundamental to the way we remember by filtering and interpreting our experiences, which directly supports the idea that they influence memory.