Sanjay has a small dog at home, so he knows about dogs. He is walking down the street and sees an animal walking toward him. The animal is very large; has four legs, fur, and a tail; and is barking. Sanjay knows that these are characteristics of a dog, given his knowledge of dogs. He quickly concludes that this animal is a dog. This example illustrates Piaget's concept of "_____."

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This example illustrates Piaget's concept of assimilation, which is the process of interpreting new information in terms of existing mental structures or schemas. Sanjay has prior knowledge of dogs and uses that schema to identify the animal he sees as a dog.

Sanjay Has a Small Dog at Home, So He Knows