Learning Theories

Script theory, developed by Roger Schank, is orientated mostly on structure of knowledge, especially on representation of more complex event sequences in memory.

There are several definitions of scriptst like a coherent sequence of events expected by an individual in a particular context, involving him either as participant or as an observer (Christopher Puto), or a “mental picture plus caption” representing the action sequences, participants, and physical objects found in a situation (Robert Abelson).

These structures are called scripts and represent elements indicative of repeated experiences of events. According to script theory - that is a specific elaboration of Minsky’s frame theory (Bower, Black & Turner, 1979:178) - a script consists of a sequence of goal directed actions that are causally and temporally ordered and includes the relevant people, objects and locations (Sutherland, 1995:413; Bower et al, 1979:178).

Experimental evidence of the psychological reality of schemata and scripts has accumulated since (Vosniadou, 1996:403; Eysenck, 1994:316, 317; Searleman & Herrmann, 1994:125). Modern versions of the schema theory play a prominent role in current theories of memory (Eysenck, 1994:316). Of specific importance for this article, is that theorists within the broad field of cognitive science propose that thinking involves the manipulation of internal representations (mental models) of the external world (Matlin, 1998:10). The schema concept, as developed by Bartlett in 1932, still forms an integral part of the para- digm of cognitive psychology.