Final answer:
Piaget attributed cognitive development to the interaction of two processes: assimilation and accommodation, where children integrate new information into existing schemata or modify their schemata in response to new experiences.
Step-by-step explanation:
Jean Piaget, a renowned psychologist, attributed cognitive development to the interaction of two fundamental processes known as assimilation and accommodation. When children encounter new information, they initially attempt to fit it into their existing mental models or schemata, a process referred to as assimilation. However, when existing schemata cannot adequately explain the new experiences, children modify or create new schemata through accommodation.
Through the continuous interaction of these two processes, children's cognitive abilities develop progressively as they engage with their environment. Piaget's theory has been instrumental in shaping our understanding of cognitive development, marking a shift from a behavioristic understanding of learning to one that recognizes the active role of the learner in shaping their understanding of the world.