A schema representation is a way of capturing the insight that concepts are defined by a configuration of features, and each of these features involves specifying a value the object has on some attribute. The schema represents a concept by pairing a class of attribute with a particular value, and stringing all the attributes together. They are a way of encoding regularities in categories, whether these regularities are propositional or perceptual. They are also general, rather than specific, so that they can be used in many situations.
References:
- Anderson, J.R. (1990). Cognitive psychology and its implications. New York, NY: Freeman.
