Assimilation is the process of understanding a new object or event in terms of an existing scheme. Accommodation is the modifying of existing schemes to fit new situations. This webpage gives many insightful looks at the broad uses of assimilation and accommodation.

1. Genetic Epistemology: Cognitive structures change through the processes of adaptation: assimilation and accommodation. Assimilation involves the interpretation of events in terms of existing cognitive structures whereas accommodation refers to changing the cognitive structure to make sense of the environment. Cognitive development consists of a constant effort to adapt to the environment in terms of assimilation and accommodation.

2. JEAN PIAGET - INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT: Intellectual growth involves three fundamental processes: assimilation, accommodation, and equilibration. Assimilation involves the incorporation of new events into preexisting cognitive structures. Accommodation means existing structures change to accommodate to the new information. This dual process, assimilation - accommodation, enables the child to form schema. Equilibration involves the person striking a balance between himself and the environment, between assimilation and accommodation.

3. Assimilation and Accommodation: Assimilation and Accommodation are the two complementary processes of Adaptation described by Piaget, through which awareness of the outside world is internalized. Although one may predominate at any one moment, they are inseparable and exist in a dialectical relationship.

4. Assimilation and Accommodation of Culture Carriers -- Case Studies: An understanding of the construction to which sociologists' attach the term assimilation takes on special importance as the thought leaders of the world's societies attempt to come to terms with ancient questions of how members of divergent culture groups can function in shared living space.

5. Assimilation: The drive for assimilation is a form of energy. All the energies of the world are powers of assimilation: they spread themselves in order to transplant all there is into their state.

This webpage was created by Charity Dragomire for Dr. Lewis: Psy306-01