What are social schemas?

Social schemas are cognitive structures that enable individuals to organize and interpret the vast array of social information they encounter. They serve as mental frameworks that influence how we perceive and interpret social events, people, and relationships. By categorizing social stimuli, social schemas help streamline cognitive processing, making it easier for individuals to navigate their social environments.

For instance, a person might have a schema for a "teacher," which includes expectations about the behaviors, traits, and roles associated with teachers. This allows for quicker judgments and reactions based on past experiences and cultural knowledge. Social schemas also help in predicting how individuals are likely to behave in various situations, thus facilitating social interactions.

The other options represent different concepts. Social norms refer to the rules that govern acceptable behavior within a group, while scripts specifically pertain to expected sequences of behavior in particular social contexts. Beliefs about specific social groups relate to stereotypes, which are different from schemas as they target specific individuals or groups rather than serving as broader cognitive tools.