Glossary
Accommodation
The cognitive process of modifying existing schemas or creating new ones to incorporate new information that doesn't fit into existing frameworks.
Example:
If a child initially calls a cat a 'dog' but then learns that cats meow and dogs bark, they accommodate their animal schema to differentiate between the two.
Assimilation
The cognitive process of fitting new information or experiences into existing mental schemas without changing the schema itself.
Example:
When a child sees a new type of bird and immediately identifies it as a 'bird' because it fits their existing schema, they are using assimilation.
Cognitive Development
The study of how thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and mental processes grow and change from infancy through adulthood.
Example:
A child's increasing ability to understand complex stories and solve math problems reflects their ongoing cognitive development.
Object Permanence
The understanding that objects continue to exist even when they are out of sight or cannot be perceived through the senses.
Example:
A toddler who actively searches for a ball after it rolls under the couch demonstrates an understanding of object permanence.
Schemas
Mental frameworks or concepts that help individuals organize and interpret information in the world around them.
Example:
A child's schema for 'dog' might include characteristics like 'four legs' and 'barks,' which they use to identify new animals.
Sensorimotor Stage
Piaget's first stage of cognitive development (from birth to about 2 years old), during which infants learn about the world primarily through their senses and motor activities.
Example:
A baby exploring a new toy by shaking it, putting it in their mouth, and dropping it repeatedly is actively learning within the sensorimotor stage.