Piaget’s Theory

There are 2 major aspects to
his theory:
– 1. The process of ‘coming to
know’
– 2. The stages we move through
as we gradually acquire this
ability
“Coming to Know”
Piaget was interested in how an organism
adapts to its environment (he described this as
intelligence)
 He found behaviors are controlled through
mental organizations called SCHEMES.

– Schemes guide behavior

Scheme: mental process responsible for
activities as simple as naming and labeling, and
as complex as creating experiments
What is a scheme?
For example, a baby sees his first horse:
His SCHEME for a
horse is set now in
his mind:
Ex:
•Large
•Brown
•Hairy
•Soft
•Reflexes help baby’s first schemes!
Then he sees…
&
What?! He needs to fit new information into his existing
scheme! This is called
ASSIMILATION.
ASSIMILATION:
In other words, when encountering
something new, the child puts in into a
category (Scheme) he already has,
 OR uses a behavior that has worked with
other objects in the past

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb3kEwNk07c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL8ToGthcfQ
Assimilation
SCHEME OF
HORSE:
The child could assimilate, and assume the cow is a horse.
The child is assimilating the cow to fit into the existing
scheme of a horse. OR he could something else:
ACCOMMODATE.
Accommodation:


When the info cannot fit an existing scheme, then
we must adjust our thinking and create a new
scheme to fit the new information
This process is of modifying schemes is
ACCOMMODATION


In other words, he can’t put the cow in the horse
category
in his mind, so he makes a new category:
􀂃
A COW.
Or: uses a new behavior because the old behavior
isn’t working anymore.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnrb2b9Ybv8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mE7PV2bVRKM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-I9MSvKJtg
cavorite-lis
n
-fGET
tg/stores/d
communit
rate-item
cust-rec
just-say-no
true
m/justsay
Accommodation
Horses
Cows
cavorite-lis
n
-fGET
tg/stores/d
communit
rate-item
cust-rec
just-say-no
true
m/justsay
Accommodation
?
Horses
Cows
Categories become increasingly complex as
children learn
Mammals
?
Fish
Example:

A child has a scheme of a bird:

They then see a flying squirrel:
Assimilation would be her thinking the
flying squirrel was a bird.
 Accommodation would be her making a
new separate scheme for a flying squirrel.

Assimilation/Accommodation




Used together often
(drinking juice out of a juice box vs. cup w/
straw.)
Whenever new experiences are assimilated into
an existing scheme, the scheme is enlarged and
changed somewhat, (so assimilation involves
some knowledge of the accommodation.)
Things very unfamiliar may be ignored, and
neither is used. (ie- hearing conversation in a
foreign language.)
WHICH process is occurring?
A baby is given a rattle. She
immediately attempts to stick it in
her mouth. The rattle is too big to fit
in her mouth. She prepares to throw
the rattle away and is surprised to
hear a loud noise. Intrigued, she
repeats the motion and again hears
the noise.
Accomodation
WHICH process is occurring?
A baby has a set of blocks. He lifts
each block above his head and
then drops it, pleased to hear the
loud noise each block makes when
it hits the floor. His father gives
him a ball he has never seen
before. He immediately lifts the ball
above his head and drops it,
pleased to hear the loud noise
when it hits the floor.
Assimilation
Partner Activity




Look at the picture & individually list the
current schemes you think the thing in
the picture might fit under.
Exchange assimilated info with your
SHOULDER partner
Together, using accommodation, come
up with a new scheme. List the
characteristics of that scheme.
Share with class
#1: Partner Assimilation

#2:
 #3:
Partner Assimilation
#4
#5

#6

#7
Venezuelan Poodle Moth
 The blobfish (Psychrolutes marcidus) is a deep sea fish of the
family Psychrolutidae. Inhabiting the deep waters off the
coasts of mainland Australia and Tasmania, it is rarely seen by
humans.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL4Zb1
ALJZg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYGz3
xqiR2U
 http://www.ecetp.pdp.albany.edu/video/Ti
meline_Cognitive_Development.shtm
