Assimilation refers to the process that the subject effectively integrates external stimuli into the existing schema, that is, individuals absorb new experiences based on their existing schema or cognitive structure. Adaptation refers to the process that assimilation schema changes under the influence of its assimilated elements, that is, changing the original schema or establishing a new schema to adapt to fresh stimuli. "The adaptation of internal schema to the change of reality is called adaptation". Schema is the structure or organization of action.

Organization), this structure or organization has common characteristics and can be moved from one situation to another. In other words, schema is something that maintains commonality in various repetitions and applications of the same activity. Piaget believes that the essence of adaptation is the balance between body and environment. There are two forms of adaptation: assimilation and adaptation. Assimilation means that individuals integrate environmental factors into their existing charts or structures to strengthen and enrich the actions of the subject. Adaptation means that the subject changes his actions to adapt to objective changes.