The human brain continuously processes the wide range of information it acquires from the outside world. Over time, this information is organized into mental representations, referred to as “schema,” which help us to understand what is happening at a given time and make predictions about what will happen next.

Temporal schemas are mental representations that specifically outline the order in which specific events occur. For instance, when attending a wedding, temporal schemas could allow us to anticipate the order in which different parts of the ritual (e.g., the arrival of the bride, the exchange of vows, etc.) will take place.

Researchers at Tilburg University and Princeton University recently carried out a study aimed at further exploring how the brain represents these structured sequences of events.