AO1 Description Rowan is sitting an Applied Psychology exam. They arrive at the exam hall 15 minutes before the start, locate their seat on the chart, take everything they need out of their bag and put the bag in the designated area. When the exam starts Rowan reads the front of the paper carefully and then reads the questions twice. They put their hand up when they need more paper. 1. Give two examples from the scenario that could be part of Rowan’s memory script for taking an exam. (2 marks) 2. Explain one way that memory scripts could be used to understand Rowan’s behaviour in the exam hall. (3 marks) 3. Discuss the extent to which memory scripts can help us understand Rowan’s behaviour in the exam hall. (3 marks) Apply it The language of cognitive scripts comes from the theatre, with roles, scripts, scenes, props and so on. SPEC SPOTLIGHT The role of cognitive scripts (memory scripts, person perception). Key concept 5: The role of cognitive scripts A1: Cognitive approach Memory scripts What is a memory script? A memory script contains our knowledge of what happens in social situations, how we should behave and what the consequences could be. E.g. the restaurant script includes our knowledge and expectations of the setting (the restaurant), props (menus, tables, etc.) and actors (waiting staff, customers, chefs, etc.). Features of memory scripts Using the restaurant script example, memory scripts: • Are broken down into scenes ordered by time, e.g. enter restaurant, sit at a table, order, eat, pay the bill. • Concern multiple goals, e.g. satisfy hunger, enjoy the occasion, impress a partner, etc. • Are dynamic and become more refined and detailed with experience (including from TV and other media). • Are influenced by culture, e.g. in most restaurants in China, customers expect to find a table themselves. • Influence memory – we remember events that are consistent with a script (because they match what we expect), but we may also remember events that are inconsistent (they stand out). Person perception What is person perception? When we meet someone new, we quickly categorise them, mentally placing them into a group or ‘type’ (often on the basis of what they look or sound like). How person perception works Making assumptions Once we have categorised a ‘new’ person, we fill in the gaps in our knowledge of them with information from memory about that category. E.g. I categorise someone as ‘outgoing’, so assume they are also impulsive and loud because these all ‘go together’ in my memory. Stereotyping and bias My knowledge of which characteristics go together can be wrong because it is partly based on stereotypes (see page 28). I assume the other person is representative of a group – they are ‘this type of person’. Person perception is affected by our own cognitive biases (see next spread) which can distort memory. What we recall about the person is not objectively accurate but matches the category we put them in. Unit 1 Psychological approaches and applications Content area A 20 Copyright: Sample material
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