What happens when the world presents evidence that is inconsistent with existing schemas? What are the consequences of schema incongruity? Schema incongruity is a case of interruption of expectations and predictions. Such interruptions are a sufficient condition for the occurrence of autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity. ANS activity in turn determines the intensity of emotion or affect. The relations among interruption, arousal, and cognitive evaluations, as well as the adaptive significance of these structures and processes, have been previously presented and discussed... |