Cultural Schemas: What They Are, How to Find Them, and What to Do Once You’ve Caught One

Cultural schemas are a central cognitive mechanism through which culture affects action. In this article, we develop theoretical model of cultural that is better able to support empirical work, including inferential, sensitizing, and operational uses. We propose multilevel framework centered on high-level definition sufficiently broad capture its major sociological applications but still narrow identify set phenomena with key functional properties in common: socially shared representations deployable automatic cognition. use conception elaborate the main schemas, provide clear criteria distinguish them from other or elements. then series concrete tests scholarship can determine if these apply. also demonstrate how approach potentially faulty inferences present existing work. Moving lower level analysis, be algorithmically conceptualized terms their building blocks. This leads us recommend improvements methods for measuring schemas. conclude by outlining questions broader research program.