Relational Schemas

Schemas are defined as large-scale cognitive structures representing general knowledge, often also described as subjective theories, about some object or concept (Smith 1998). Their main functions include aiding in the interpretation of external stimuli, directing attention to specific types of external information, and guiding the retrieval and judgment of information from memory. That is, schemas play a central role in information processing and how persons understand and act in their social worlds. It follows that relational schemas organize knowledge of relationships in long-term memory and play an important role in the cognitive processes that precede, accompany, and follow interpersonal communication (→ Schemas, Knowledge Structures, and Social Interaction).