Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
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.
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.
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).