Assimilation vs. Accommodation

10/14/2013

MA. Methodology class

S. Vahideh Hosseini Nourbin

Mahshad Tasnimi, Ph.D.

JEAN PIAGET1896 - 1980

• 1896-1913: Early Years

• 1914-1918: Formal Education

• 1918-1921: From scientist to

psychologist

Assimilation vs. Accommodation

Schema

Horse

Horse

Assimilation

HorseHorse

No, Zebra

Accommodiation

Horse

Zebra

Assimilation vs. Accommodation Schema for “doggie”o Four-legged animal

Assimilationo Sees cow, says “doggie”

Accommodationo Doggie: small four-legged animal in houseo Cow: large four legged animal on farm

Assimilationo Sees horses, says “cow”

Accommodationo Cow say “moo”, horses “neigh”

Schema: an “elementary psychological structure”

Piaget argued that children do not just passively learn but also actively try to make

sense of their worlds. He argued that, as they learn and mature, children develop 

schemas—patterns of knowledge in long-term memory that help them remember,

organize, and respond to information. Furthermore, Piaget thought that when

children experience new things, they attempt to reconcile the new knowledge with

existing schemas. Piaget believed that the children use two distinct methods in doing

so, methods that he called assimilation and accommodation.

Assimilation vs. Accommodation

Assimilation: This term stemmed from the work of Jean Piaget and his work on

cognitive development of children. Assimilation is the cognitive process of fitting new

information into existing cognitive schemas, perceptions, and understanding. This means

that when you are faced with new information, you make sense of this information by

referring to information you already have (information processed and learned previously)

and try to fit the new information into the information you already have.

Assimilation vs. Accommodation

Accommodation: This term stemmed from the work of Jean Piaget and his work

on cognitive development of children. Accommodation is the cognitive process of

revising existing cognitive schemas, perceptions, and understanding so that new

information can be incorporated. In order to make sense of some new information,

you actual adjust information you already have (schemas you already have, etc.) to

make room for this new information. This is related to assimilation.

Assimilation vs. Accommodation

Assimilation vs. Accommodation

Schema Assimilation Accommodation

Cognitive or mental structures by which an individual intellectually adapts to

and organizes the environment.

Repeated patterns of behavior that develop by trial and error.

Never stop changing; constantly refined.

Assimilation vs. Accommodation

Schema

Schemes also change through a second process called organization.

It takes place internally, apart from direct contact with the environment.

Once children form new structures, they start to rearrange them, linking them

with other schemes to create a strongly interconnected cognitive system.

Assimilation vs. Accommodation

Adaptation involves building schemes, or psychological structures, through

direct interaction with the environment.

According to Piaget, adaptation consists of two complementary activities:

Assimilation – using current schemes to interpret the external world.

Accommodation – adjusting old schemes or creating new ones after noticing

that current thinking does not capture the environment completely.

http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/assimacc.htm

Assimilation vs. Accommodation

Read More:

http://psychology.about.com/od/aindex/g/assimilation.htm

www.pugetsound.edu/facultypages/cjones/piaget-examples.doc