The riddle of the sphinx redux

James A Shayman1

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. jshayman@umich.edu

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A schema is a mental construct consisting of a cluster or collection of related concepts (Bartlett, 1932). There are many different types of schemata, and they all have one thing in common: schemata are a method of organizing information that allows the brain to work more efficiently. When a schema is activated, the brain makes immediate assumptions about the person or object being observed.
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