40.2k views
1 vote
Malik has a dog at home and so is familiar with what a dog is. He sees a bear for the first time and says "Doggie"! What process is he using?

User Mat
by
8.1k points

1 Answer

7 votes

Final answer:

Malik is using assimilation when he calls a bear "Doggie" as he is incorporating his observation of the bear into his existing knowledge of dogs. He will need to accommodate his schema when he learns more about bears.

Step-by-step explanation:

When Malik sees a bear for the first time and refers to it as "Doggie", he is utilizing the process of assimilation. Assimilation is a cognitive process where a person integrates new information into pre-existing schemas. Since Malik is familiar with what a dog is, he assimilates the bear into his existing schema for dogs, as both animals share similar features such as four legs and fur.

However, when provided with new information or experiences, Malik may need to use the process of accommodation to adjust his schema to differentiate between dogs and bears. This illustrates how humans categorize and make sense of new experiences by relating them to what is already known.

User Rajeev Mehta
by
7.6k points