In Piaget's theory, the process of fitting new information into existing schemas is known as what?

• A. Assimilation
• B. Accommodation
• C. Adaptation
• D. Equilibration

Answer: (A)

Fitting new information into existing schemas is assimilation. In Piaget's framework, a schema is a mental framework for organizing knowledge. Assimilation happens when we interpret new experiences using what we already know, such as a child who responds to a new four-legged animal by applying their dog schema to it. This keeps understanding smooth by using familiar categories. When new information doesn’t fit, we adjust the ideas through accommodation, which is a separate process. Adaptation refers to the overall process of adjusting to new information, including both assimilation and accommodation, while equilibration is the drive to achieve balance between those processes to maintain a stable understanding. So the specific process of incorporating new information into existing schemas is assimilation.