Schema

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A schema is a mental shortcut for how we absorb, interpret, and filter new information to connect to what we know from past experiences and to what we anticipate about future ones. We unconsciously rely on schemas to provide mental models, social roles, stereotypes, and scripts, which change as we learn new information. A child learns a tiger is a wild hunter, so modifies their existing dog schema to create a new tiger schema. Types of schema’s:

Role schemas instruct behavior in social situations — a guest at a dinner party doesn’t go eat in the kitchen. Achieved roles (occupational: doctor, chef) and ascribed roles (social categories: age, gender, race) are called stereotypes. Stereotype pressures us to behave “correctly.”
Object schema helps to interpret inanimate objects—what they are, how they should function, and what we can expect from them (how to use a pen, open a door, start a car).
Self-schema is knowledge about ourselves from interacting with others and the world.
Event schema is a cognitive script for social sequences, anticipating an event, setting goals, making plans. In a restaurant: enter, wait, order from the menu, eat, pay bill with tip, leave.
Attention schema theory (AST) is a neuroscientific theory of the brain’s internal model (attention schema) to control how attention is directed — our perception of subjective consciousness.
Body schemas are thoughts, feelings, and perception of the aesthetics or sexual attractiveness of our own bodies, positive or negative.
Abandonment schema is fear of being left and belief others will lose emotional attachments to us.
Emotional deprivation schema is ignoring our emotional needs in the belief they’re not important.
Mistrust/abuse schema is the expectation others will intentionally take advantage of us.
Mood-congruent self-schemas are self-beliefs influenced by our current mood. We remember or focus on what matches our emotional state. This can lead to cognitive biases/distortions in how we interpret our experiences and can contribute to mood disorders. Also see Mood-Congruent Effect