Schemas and Logic

schema: n.  
 A schema is a cognitive framework or concept that helps organize and interpret information. Schemas can be useful because they allow us to take shortcuts in interpreting the vast amount of information that is available in our environment. However, these mental frameworks also cause us to exclude pertinent information to instead focus only on things that confirm our pre-existing beliefs and ideas. Schemas can contribute to stereotypes and make it difficult to retain new information that does not conform to our established ideas about the world. (About.com)


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From the time of our birth, we are constantly observing the world, interpreting new situations, and subconsciously incorporating our experiences into our schemas. Our schemas act as necessary guides; without them, the world would be a mass of confusion. We wouldn't be able to properly function if we had to remember every exception because our minds would become muddled and confused from the overwhelming amount of information. Thus, we learn to discriminate one thing from another, categorize them, and make generalizations in order to understand our world. And yes, this can be extremely limiting when we try to acquire new information and adapt to new situations, but it is a part of human nature.

It would be easy for me to criticize the white woman who mistook Brent Staples for a mugger or a rapist, but in her shoes I probably would have reacted the same way. Frankly, I'd be apprehensive of anyone who was walking behind me on a deserted street, especially if it was at night.
So, was she really in the wrong? What about the jewelry saleswoman who assumed Staples was a robber or the policemen who assumed the black journalist was a murderer? Were they in the wrong too?


Statistically speaking, no they were not in the wrong; there are high rates of crime and violence in African American men. However, logically speaking, they were wrong because Brent Staples is not a rapist, is not a mugger, and is not a thief. The black journalist was also not the murderer the police thought him to be. These people had incorporated the statistic into their schemas, unconsciously creating an unyielding stereotype that all black men are criminals, and all made mistakes of varying severity. The white woman's mistake was the least severe. Even though she may have made an error in judgement, she was acting in fear and self-preservation, and given the circumstances if Staples actually was a mugger, the odds would not have been in her favor. Unfortunately, I cannot condone the actions of the policemen and the saleswoman, nor can I blame their schemas for their mistakes. While we do have schemas understand the world, it does not mean we can ignore logic and reason. While we do generalize, it does not mean we can ignore the fact that there are exceptions to every rule. The policemen and the saleswoman depended only on their schemas and by doing so, they committed logical fallacies which wronged two very innocent men. 

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Schemas are innate; that is something irreversible. So is it possible to completely eradicate people's misconceptions and stereotypes? No it is not.
But schemas are not at fault. While they make adapting more difficult, they are necessary in thinking and understanding. The only fault is to rely solely on them and to cast logic aside because without logic and reason, we become irrational and stupid creatures.

Now, I'll leave you with one last thought du jour: with logic and reason, you can assimilate new experiences and accommodate your schemas to fit them. Nothing is ever set in stone.