Piaget's Basic Cognitive Concepts

Schema

Cognitive structures that help individuals adapt to and organize their environment, akin to a filing cabinet for experiences.

Assimilation

The process of fitting a new experience into an existing schema by adding new information.

Accommodation

The process of creating a new schema when an experience does not fit into existing cognitive structures.

Equilibration

The balance achieved between assimilation and accommodation to maintain understanding of the world.

Cognitive disequilibrium

The state of confusion that occurs when experiences do not match existing schemata, prompting the need for adaptation.

Cognitive development

The continuous effort to adapt to the environment through the processes of assimilation and accommodation.

Constructivist perspectives

Learning theories, like those of Bruner and Vygotsky, that emphasize the active role of learners in constructing knowledge.