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The mechanisms of cognitive development

Schema = mental structures used to organise past experiences and provide a way ofunderstanding future experiences e.g. how to ride a bike

Operation = process of working something out in your head. Young children have to act and try things out in the real world to understand things e.g. counting on fingers - older children & adults do more in their heads

Assimilation = existing schemas have to be modified to fit new situations. Existing schemas are expanded or new ones are created e.g. baby uses it's innate feeding schema to **** on all ******* (mother's or baby bottles)

Equilibrium = new experience can easily be understood using existingschemas e.g. child can deal with the world

New Situation = novel situation/stimulus the child has not yet experiencede.g. baby encounters a drinking beaker for ther first time

Disequilibrium = a new experience cannot be easily understood usingexisting schemase.g. baby's ****ing schema is not appropriate - big mess made!

Accommodation = new situations are understood in terms of the schemas the child already possesses. World is 'fitted' into what the child alreadyknows