Piaget's theory of cognitive development: schemas, assimilation, accommodation, equilibration
Piaget argued that children build knowledge through mental frameworks called schemas. When new information challenges a schema, children update their thinking to restore mental balance.
Real World
A child who knows dogs as four-legged pets (schema) confidently calls a cat a 'dog' (assimilation), then — corrected by a parent — updates their understanding to include a new 'cat' schema (accommodation), restoring equilibrium.
Exam Focus
Use the correct sequence — disequilibrium triggers accommodation, not assimilation — and define each term before applying it.
Evaluation Scaffold
A four-step framework for high-quality evaluation. Use this for 'assess', 'evaluate', and 'to what extent' questions.
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