Schemas & Appraisals

Self-Schemas & Appraisals in Interaction

A schema (pl-schemata) is a general cognitive, knowledge structure, which represents domain-specific aspects of an individual’s perceptual experiences (of people or objects). A  self-schema is a generalized cognitive assessment of the self, which has been developed from many prior experiences.  These self-statements represent how others and how one, as a participant-observer, would assess and predict, in total, one’s cumulatively experienced behavioral responses, personality tendencies, and perceived self-image. They are demonstrated in summaries like, “I am talkative”  “I am sloppy” “I am a hard worker” (Read more).

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Primary (Goal Specific) Social Appraisals

Primary appraisals are goal-specific and have personal significance and relevance.  As such, goal-specific appraisals underlie the later expression of goal-specific actions.  The environmental response to goal-specific actions are then positively and negatively assessed by the individual for their schematic personal meaningfulness and the outcome’s impact on one’s sense of well-being. Positive primary appraisal processes therefore monitor, appraise and evaluate environmental responses, i.e. whether satisfying outcomes had indeed occurred and positive well-being had, indeed, been attained (i.e. that which happened and should have happened). (Read more)

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Secondary (Coping) Social Appraisals

Stress-related emotions typically allow the expression of secondary appraisals for conscious, deliberate planning for coping options with stressful encounters.  Secondary appraisals are usually conscious and linked with conceptual processing and intentional thought.  They typically answer the following questions : What do I do? How do I react? Why?  When do I react? Am I capable of reacting like that?  Are there any other alternative actions? What are the consequences of such actions?  Weighing coping options allows for “selecting the best coping process for a given situation”. (Read more)

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