A child and her father are walking. Upon seeing a butterfly, she says, "See the birdie," and her father replies, "No, that's a butterfly; see how small it is." The next time the child sees a butterfly she says, "See the butterfly." This example demonstrates
A) assimilation.
B) accommodation.
C) conservation.
D) object permanence.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The child initially categorizes the butterfly as a "birdie" but then changes her cognitive schema to correctly identify it as a butterfly after her father's correction. This adjustment of her understanding is an example of accommodation, where new information leads to the modification of existing cognitive schemas.

A Child and Her Father Are Walking