Which term best defines assimilation in cognitive development?

• A. Expanding a concept based on new experiences
• B. Changing existing schemas to fit new information
• C. Learning occurs through social interaction
• D. Learning is achieved through imitation

Answer: (A)

Assimilation is when you interpret new experiences using your existing mental schemas, expanding the concept without altering its basic structure. For example, a child who has a schema for “dog” will categorize a new, similar animal as a dog and add it to that existing concept, rather than changing what “dog” means. This expands the category based on new experiences. It differs from accommodation, which would involve modifying the schema to fit the new information. The other ideas describe social or imitation-based learning, which are different processes and not the mechanism of assimilation.