Which term describes incorporating new information into existing schemas without changing the schema?

• A. Assimilation
• B. Accommodation
• C. Zone of Proximal Development
• D. Social Development Theory

Answer: (A)

Assimilation involves incorporating new information into existing schemas without changing the schema. It happens when you interpret new experiences using what you already know. For example, a child who has a schema for dogs might see a new breed and call it a dog, extending the current dog concept without altering the underlying idea. The schema stays the same; you’re just applying it to a wider range of stimuli.

When new information doesn’t fit neatly, you adjust your understanding to fit the new evidence—this is accommodation, the process that changes a schema to incorporate new ideas. The Zone of Proximal Development refers to what a learner can do with help, not how schemas are adjusted. Social Development Theory focuses on how social interaction and culture influence learning, rather than the mechanisms of updating mental schemas.