Conservation
Definition
In psychology, conservation refers to the understanding that certain physical characteristics remain unchanged even when their outward appearance changes.
Analogy
Imagine you have two identical glasses filled with water. If you pour water from one glass into a taller thinner glass, someone who understands conservation will know that the amount of water hasn't changed even though it looks different. But someone without this understanding might think there's now more water because it fills up more space vertically in the taller glass.
Related terms
Mass Conservation: The understanding that material remains constant despite changes in its shape or arrangement.
Number Conservation: The realization that number does not change when nothing is added or taken away despite changes in arrangement or appearance.
Volume Conservation: Understanding that volume remains the same despite changes in shape or container.
"Conservation" appears in:
Study guides (1)
Practice Questions (3)
- How does the principle of conservation from Piaget's theory apply to tactile perception?
- What does conservation, a key concept proposed by Piaget refer to?
- How can Piaget's idea of "conservation" be best taught to preschoolers?
Resources
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