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What is a memory schema? A historical perspective on current neuroscience literature
Abstract
The term "schema" has been used to describe vastly different knowledge structures within the memory neuroscience literature. Ambiguous terminology hinders cross-study comparisons and confounds interpretation of the suggested role of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) in schema functions. Based on an extensive review of the psychological literature, we propose a framework for distinguishing memory schemas from other knowledge structures. The framework includes a definition of schema as possessing four necessary and sufficient features, and four additional features schemas are sensitive to, which are not required but do play a frequent and central role in schema functions. Necessary schema features are (1) an associative network structure, (2) basis on multiple episodes, (3) lack of unit detail, and (4) adaptability. Features schemas are sensitive to are (5) chronological relationships, (6) hierarchical organization, (7) cross-connectivity, and (8) embedded response options. Additionally, we suggest that vmPFC activity observed in studies of schemas corresponds with participants' coordination of existing schemas with ongoing task demands.
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“Although concepts and categories bear resemblances to schemas (e.g., being acquired gradually and organised in associative networks), their relative fixedness is a direct result of inter-relationships being based on fixed definitions (i.e., the defining features of a category; Ghosh & Gilboa, 2014) and thus they lack the adaptability necessary for higher-level associative processes such as rel”
From Mental Time Travel? A Neurocognitive Model of Event Simulation. (2020) · cites this paper as Ghosh & Gilboa, 2014
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Metadata
- Authors
- Ghosh, V. E., & Gilboa, A.
- Affiliations
- University of Toronto (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Ghosh, Vanessa E.
- ORCID
- Gilboa, Asaf
- Venue
- Neuropsychologia
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2014-01
- Volume
- 53
- Pages
- 104-114
- ISSN
- 0028-3932 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2049324847
- Cited by
- 529
- References
- 68
- Citations by year
- 2026: 48 · 2025: 75 · 2024: 50 · 2023: 33 · 2022: 47 · 2021: 54 · 2020: 45 · 2019: 63 · 2018: 29 · 2017: 30 · 2016: 25 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 12
- FWCI
- 1.57
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Neuropsychologia (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Functions and Memory
- Keywords
- memory schemas, schema theory, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, knowledge structure, associative networks, episodic memory, hierarchy, terminological ambiguity
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Humans, Memory, Models, Psychological, Terminology as Topic, Prefrontal Cortex, Knowledge
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