Which of the following is the best example of the cognitive process Jean Piaget called assimilation?

• A. A child sees a zebra for the first time and calls it a horse because it fits their existing schema for horses.
• B. A child is surprised when a ball sinks in water and changes their idea about floating objects.
• C. A child learns that not all four-legged animals are dogs and creates a new category for cats.
• D. A child adjusts their understanding of birds after learning that penguins cannot fly.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of assimilation in Piaget's theory: Assimilation occurs when a person incorporates new information into existing cognitive schemas without changing the schema.
2. Identify the key feature of assimilation: The new experience is interpreted based on what the individual already knows, fitting it into an existing category or schema.
3. Analyze each option to see if the new information is being fitted into an existing schema without changing it (assimilation) or if the schema itself is being modified or a new schema is created (which would be accommodation).
4. Recognize that the example where a child sees a zebra and calls it a horse fits assimilation because the child is using their existing schema for horses to interpret the new animal without changing the schema.
5. Confirm that other options involve changing or creating schemas (accommodation), so they are not examples of assimilation.