Abstract

Numerous studies have demonstrated that schemata have an effect on subject performance on recall and recognition memory tasks. Specifically, across a variety of paradigms including word lists, pictures, and real-world environments, researchers found that subjects relied on schemata when their memory for prior events and objects was tested. However, it is unclear whether schema expectancy was positively or negatively related to subsequent memory performance, wherein different testing paradigms have produced divergent results. The present study aimed to clarify whether schemata were beneficial or detrimental to memory. Subjects were presented with 3 photographs of familiar scenes which contained an equal number of schema-consistent and schema-inconsistent objects. Subject memory performance was assessed using the free recall and the two-alternative forced-choice (2AFC) paradigms. The results suggested that schemata influenced memory performance for both recall and recognition tasks. Notably, however, schema expectancy was positively related to subject performance on the memory recall task but was negatively related to performance on the recognition task. It was therefore concluded that schemata may have divergent effects on different domains of memory. Prominent models of category learning and schema acquisition paradigms were discussed.