A toddler's initial reaction on seeing her first horse is to point and say "doggie." According to Piaget, this youngster is providing us with an example of _____.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Assimilation is the Piagetian concept of incorporating new information into existing schemas or mental structures. The toddler in this scenario is relying on her existing schema for dogs to make sense of something new, which is the horse. She is attempting to assimilate what she sees into an existing category, rather than accommodate her schema to account for a new or different animal. Therefore, the correct answer is (C) assimilation.

A Toddler's Initial Reaction on Seeing Her First Horse Is