Which of the following best describes the difference between assimilation and accommodation in cognitive psychology, along with an example of each?

• A. Assimilation and accommodation both refer to ignoring new information that does not fit existing schemas, such as a child refusing to learn new animal names.
• B. Assimilation involves incorporating new information into existing schemas, such as a child calling all four-legged animals 'dog'; accommodation involves modifying existing schemas to fit new information, such as a child learning that a horse is different from a dog.
• C. Assimilation is when existing schemas are changed to fit new information, such as a child learning that a cat is not a dog; accommodation is when new information is ignored if it does not fit existing schemas.
• D. Assimilation involves creating entirely new schemas for every new experience, while accommodation involves keeping schemas unchanged regardless of new information.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the key concepts of assimilation and accommodation in cognitive psychology, which are processes described by Jean Piaget related to how individuals adapt their mental frameworks (schemas) when encountering new information.
2. Step 2: Define assimilation as the process of integrating new information into existing schemas without changing the schema. For example, a child who calls all four-legged animals 'dog' is assimilating new animals into their existing 'dog' schema.
3. Step 3: Define accommodation as the process of modifying existing schemas or creating new ones when new information cannot fit into existing schemas. For example, a child learning that a horse is different from a dog and adjusting their schema accordingly.
4. Step 4: Compare the two processes by noting that assimilation keeps schemas stable by fitting new information into them, while accommodation changes schemas to better reflect new experiences.
5. Step 5: Use the examples to illustrate the difference clearly: assimilation involves labeling all similar animals as 'dog' (no schema change), whereas accommodation involves recognizing differences and updating the schema (horse is not a dog).