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Accommodation

Definition

Accommodation is a cognitive process where individuals adjust their existing schemas or create new ones in order to incorporate new information that doesn't fit into any existing schemas.

Analogy

If assimilation is like adding books to an organized bookshelf, accommodation would be like realizing you have a bunch of new science fiction novels but no section for them. So you make a whole new section on your bookshelf for these novels.

Related terms

Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development: A comprehensive theory about the nature and development of human intelligence by Jean Piaget. It involves stages such as sensorimotor stage, preoperational stage etc., where accommodation plays a key role.

Adaptation: In psychology context, adaptation refers to the ability to adjust to new information or experiences.

Cognitive Equilibrium: A state of balance between applying past knowledge (assimilation) and changing behavior to account for new knowledge (accommodation).