Chapter 7 Essay:
In a study, researchers use a photograph taken in a public park to examine how people perceive, learn and remember information. In the photograph, a woman is standing near a man who is seated on a park bench. The woman appears to be shouting at the man.
Participants in the study are exposed to the photograph for ten seconds and then are shown, each for ten seconds, several other photographs of people interacting. When all the photographs have been shown, the participants are asked about what they saw in the “public park” photograph. A significant number of participants describe the man as being the aggressor in an apparent disagreement with the woman.
Describe how each of the following concepts helps explain the perception of these participants. Be sure to begin by defining each concept in psychological terms.
- schema
- retroactive interference
- representativeness heuristic
- confirmation bias
- framing
