Suppose someone came rushing in and unexpectedly said in an excited voice, "I just saw someone rob the bank up the street!" A bystander infers that it was a man who was wearing a mask. This inference is MOST likely guided by the bystander's:
A) perception of the crime.
B) accurate cognition.
C) schema of a bank robbery.
D) source memory.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The bystander's schema, or preconceived idea, of a bank robbery likely includes the stereotype that the perpetrator is a masked man. This schema could lead to the inferred description of the robber, despite not actually having seen the perpetrator themselves.

Suppose Someone Came Rushing in and Unexpectedly Said in an Excited