Interpreting a new experience in terms of one's existing schemas is called what?

• A. Integration
• B. Generalization
• C. Adaptation
• D. Assimilation

Answer: (D)

Interpreting a new experience using an existing mental framework is assimilation. In cognitive development, schemas are these ready-made ways of understanding the world. When something new fits what you already know, you fit it into that existing structure without changing it. For example, a child who has a dog schema—four legs, fur, barks—might label a new animal that resembles a dog as a dog. They’re using what they already believe to interpret the new information. If the new information is truly different and would require changing the old idea, that would be accommodation, which modifies the schema to fit the new experience. The other terms don’t capture this exact process: generalization involves applying a rule more broadly, and adaptation or integration describe broader or different aspects of adjusting to new information.