Which of the following options shows the most appropriate meaning of Assimilation?

Assimilation is a cognitive process described by Jean Piaget, a pioneering psychologist in the field of child development. It involves incorporating new information or experiences into existing mental structures or schemas.

Key Points When a child learns the word for "dog" and starts to call all four-legged animals dogs, it exemplifies assimilation. In this scenario:

• The child has a pre-existing mental structure or schema for the concept of a four-legged animal (the schema might be something like "animals with four legs").
• Upon learning the word "dog," the child assimilates this new information by applying it broadly to all instances that fit the existing schema (all four-legged animals).

Thus, option 3 is the correct answer.