One fact about a baby's intellectual development is that they learn a vast majority about the world through their own exploration and discovery of novel objects. The process is known as experiential learning and babies begin to understand new concepts through a process known as assimilation and accommodation. Experiential learning takes place from the time the baby is an infant through their adolescent years and provides the groundwork for their cognitive development.
Experiential Learning
According to the Lewinian Experiential Learning Model, immediate personal experience is the focal point of learning and provides concrete examples for abstract ideas and concepts. In addition, infants develop a feedback process that allows them to test new ideas against what they already know and observe new experiences that help them change their previous knowledge capacity. The information feedback from exploration provides the basis for continued exploration and goal-oriented action.
Assimilation
According psychology researcher Jean Piaget, assimilation and accommodation help infants adapt to the environment by helping them understand new stimuli by relating it to what they already know. Assimilation refers to the process in which infants gather new information and fit it into what they have already learned in their past. For example, a child knows that dogs exist but may see a new breed of dog that they have never encountered. Instead of coming up with an entirely new understanding for this new breed, the child comes to understand that dogs can come in many different shapes and sizes.
Accommodation
Accommodation refers to the process in which children change their viewpoint and understanding of something in order to understand a new idea. For example, a child may understand animals as living inside people's homes as pets until the day that they understand that not all animals are pets. When the child finds out that many pets live in the wild, they are forced to take this new information and change the way they think about animals.
Helping Your Child's Cognitive Development
The most important aspect of helping a baby explore their surroundings is that the child needs to know that they have a secure base available if they begin to perceive danger in the environment. This is established by a parent comforting the child in a time of need, which includes feeding them when they are hungry or holding them when they are startled. Without a sense of security, babies cannot explore their surroundings with confidence, which can delay cognitive development.
