When talking of a person's mental process Piaget was referring to how many schemata's an individual had. For instance, when you are at the library you apply a schema to the situation; you then know how to act. Furthermore, this goes for any encounter you have within a different environment (McLeod, 2009). .
Process of Adaptation.
Assimilation and Accommodation.
Assimilation is how we use a schema to deal with a situation such as the one I used about the restaurant or library, and is considered information that we already know and can immediately apply it to the situation. On the other hand, accommodation is the use of a schema does not fit a new situation and as to be adjusted. For instance, when a child sees an apple in a book the child will recalls the schema, then a child sees an orange in the store and uses an accommodation to fit the situation (McLeod, 2009).
Equilibration.
Equilibration adds to the cognitive development. Furthermore, Piaget believed that instead of a steady rate of development; it came in leaps and bounds throughout life. Indeed, equilibration is when a person can use the existing information to fit the schema. In addition, it is dissatisfying when disequilibrium occurs; which is in the case assimilation occurs, where new knowledge does not fit into existing schemas (McLeod, 2009). .
Stages of Development.
Sensorimotor Stage.
This stage of cognitive development lasts until two years old. It is a time of an increasingly steady amount cognitive development. Infants are born with reflexes that grow and perpetual systems, which allow them to gain knowledge of the environment around them. Accommodation and assimilation are at work during this stage of development, whereas it allows children to be aware of the world around them. Reflexes are relied on, and the child only understand their world; point of view. The key term in the sensorimotor stage is object permanence, which states that child is aware of objects even though they may not see them; they can create a mental picture of the object (McLeod, 2009).
