This entry describes the concept of scripts as a topic of study in developmental and cognitive psychology. The script concept was first introduced to psychology by Roger Schank and Robert Abelson in an effort to improve artificial intelligence models of how individuals navigate complex and novel social circumstances by drawing on previous experiences of a similar kind. This entry first describes the script construct and then discusses how the script concept has been applied across human development.

What Is a Script?

Psychologists typically think of a script as a generic form of memory representation; it is not tied to one specific time and place. For example, a script for going to the doctor would contain the general events that typically unfold when you go to the doctor’s ...

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