Which process involves interpreting new experiences in terms of existing schemas?

The process of interpreting new experiences in terms of existing schemas is known as assimilation. This cognitive process allows individuals to integrate new information into their pre-existing frameworks of understanding, facilitating the comprehension of new experiences by relating them to what they already know. For instance, if a child has a schema for "dog" that includes characteristics like having four legs and a tail, when they encounter a new breed of dog, they assimilate that new information into their existing schema for dogs rather than creating an entirely new category. Assimilation helps maintain cognitive consistency and supports learning by connecting new experiences with established knowledge.