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Assimilation Theory

General

Assimilation theory (sometimes referred to as subsumption theory or theory of advance organizers) is

one of the cognitivist learning theories developed by an American educational psychologist David
Ausubel during the 1960s. Ausubel was a cognitivist1)2) inspired by works of Jean Piaget (see: Stage
Theory of Cognitive Development) and considered at the time still inuential neo-behaviorist theories
inadequate3). Ausubel is concerned with developing a theory of meaningful verbal reception learning
and related methods which will facilitate classroom learning4).

What is assimilation theory?

Learning, according to Ausubel's theory, occurs through development of new cognitive structures
that will hold newly acquired information. Cognitive structure, a central term in his theory is dened
as the

individual's organization, stability, and clarity of knowledge in a particular subject matter eld
at any given time5) and it is hierarchically organized in terms of highly inclusive concepts
under which are subsumed less inclusive subconcepts and informational data.6)

As mentioned, knowledge is in assimilation theory organized hierarchically in a pyramidal shape

where more general ideas and concepts appear at the top of the pyramid and get more and more
specic to the bottom of it. The closer to the top of the pyramid a concept is, the more general it is
and the longer is its life time. New knowledge is assimilated in this hierarchy by anchoring to
already existing more general concepts (so called anchoring concept or anchoring site). The
anchoring concept is characterized by its availability, clarity, stability in the cognitive structure,
relevance to and discriminability from concepts that are about to be learned.7) Characteristics of
existing concepts (potential anchoring sites) dene the overall characteristics of one's cognitive
structure: if well organized, it enables faster learning in terms of adding new ideas and structures to it
and therefore is the key aspect of learning. If cognitive structure is unorganized or badly connected,
the acquisition of new information will be more dicult.

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Ausubel distinguishes between meaningful and rote learning.

Meaningful learning is learning that is well anchored and integrated in the cognitive
structure. It occurs when learner can nd meaning in the information presented. Meaningful
learning won't occur unless the new ideas are presented in a clear way that enables their
relating with other ideas, unless the learner already possesses those other ideas he can relate
the new ones with and unless the learner actually makes an conscious attempt to do so.
Rote learning on the other hand represents knowledge that remains unrelated and
unanchored to existing concepts and is therefore easily forgotten.

As a result of meaningful learning, the new idea will remain anchored to a so called subsumer
(anchoring site of the idea). That of course doesn't mean that the learned idea can't be forgotten: this
process, referred to as obliterative subsumption, happens as more specic idea becomes less and
less distinctive from its subsumer until it is nally forgotten.

Dened concept of meaningful learning leads to another key aspect of Ausubel's theory: prior
knowledge. Since relating old and new knowledge is crucial for meaningful learning, prior knowledge
or the existing ideas are the key enabler or restraint of what can be learned next.

If I had to reduce all of educational psychology to just one principle, I would say this: The most
important single factor inuencing learning is what the learner already knows. Ascertain this
and teach him accordingly.8)

Another important and rather controversial part of Ausubel's theory are the advance organizers:
introductory material presented before the learning material at a higher level of abstraction,
generality, and inclusiveness9) than the learning material. Purpose of advance organizers is to help
replace the missing concepts and bridge new material to learner's established cognitive structure.10)
They help the learner realize where the new material ts in relation to the prior knowledge about the
material and should not be confused with summaries or overviews which usually present key ideas of
the material.

Advance organizers should be of greater help to students with less organized cognitive structures,

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since organized cognitive structures already possess developed anchoring ideas. Organizers can be
most productive when closely related topics or unitary topics need to be learned and when learners
prior knowledge can be assessed. Advance organizer can include various types of material like
pictures, verbal descriptions, prequestioning techniques, and cultural background knowledge11). So far
no signicant dierences in eects of this types of organizers have been reported12).

Ausubel's ideas of human cognitive structures also served as a motivation for introducing concept
mapping and similar instructional materials.13)

What is the practical meaning of assimilation theory?

Meaningful learning suggested by Ausubel's assimilation theory presents a valuable concept for
educational process, in which rote learning examples can today be found more frequently. Foreign
language learning often requires learning by heart numerous exceptions or grammatical structures
(like German strong verbs). This rote learning would be easier and longer lasting in case of connecting
new material with already learned language concepts.

The concept of meaningful learning in context of Ausubel's theory has a few important implications for
the instructional process:

A successful instructional process is dependent both on learner and teacher. Ausubel

referred to the process of teaching as expository teaching (teacher centered approach, the
teacher presents the concepts and ideas a student should learn) and to learning as reception
learning (the teacher places new ideas in context of learners cognitive structure), yet he
notices that learning won't occur unless the student makes an active attempt to relate new
material to the already acquired knowledge.
Prior knowledge is the key to what will be learned next. In order to fulll meaningful learning
requirements learner has to have crucial higher level concepts (prior knowledge) that will serve
as anchoring sites (subsumers) for new knowledge or he has to be provided with appropriate
organizers.
After assuring student has required prior knowledge, the teacher has to present learning
material in an organized and structured manner (starting from more general concepts
and then going to more details), cross reference old and new ideas using dierent teaching aids
or charts, continue with sucient amount of practice in form of applications of learned material
in order to facilitate its assimilation.
Advance organizers. For examples and advice on creating graphical organizers see
Baxendell's The 3 C's of Graphic Organizers. The study of eects of advanced organizers is
ongoing with a number of studies showing their positive eects.14)15)16)17)18)

Criticisms

Critics of Ausubel's theory often reect the fact that he doesn't describe construction of organizers so
dierent researches provide dierent results of their eciency19). Ausubel's theory is also in most of
its claims quite opposite of Jerome Bruner's discovery learning.

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Keywords and most important names

Association learning theory, cognitive structure, concepts, subconcepts, hierarchy,

anchoring, obliterative subsumption, meaningful learning, rote learning, subsumer,
organizer
David Ausubel

Bibliography

Ivie, Stanley D. Ausubel's Learning Theory: An Approach To Teaching Higher Order Thinking
Skills.(educational psychologist David Paul Ausubel). High School Journal 82.1: 35(1). Expanded
Academic ASAP. Thomson Gale. CSU Sacramento University Library. 13 October 2006.

Mohan, Radha. Innovative Science Teaching: For Physical Science Teachers 3Rd Ed. PHI Learning Pvt.
Ltd., 2007.

Read more

Ausubel, D. P. Learning theory and classroom practice. Toronto: Ontario Institute for Studies in
Education. 1967.

Ausubel, D. P. In defense of advance organizers: A reply to the critics. Review of Educational

Research, 48, p251-257. 1978.

Ausubel, D. P. Schemata, cognitive structure, and advance organizers: A reply to Anderson, Spiro, and
Anderson. American Educational Research Journal, 17, p400-404. 1980.
1)

Leonard, David C. Learning theories, A to Z. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002.

2)

Royer, James M. The cognitive revolution in educational psychology. IAP, 2005.

3)

Cooper, S. Theories of Learning in Educational Psychology: David Ausubel. Meaningful Verbal Learning
& Subsumption Theory.
4)
, 7) , 19)
Rossner, Vivian F. A description and critique of David P. Ausubels model of learning. Thesis (M.A.
(Ed.)), Simon Fraser University, 1982.
5)

Ausubel, David P., and Donald Fitzgerald. Chapter V: Meaningful Learning and Retention:
Intrapersonal Cognitive Variables. Review of Educational Research 31, no. 5: p500 -510. December 1,
1961.
6)

Ausubel, Robbins, & Blake. Retroactive inhibition and facilitation in the learning of school materials.
Journal of Educational Psychology, 48, p267, 1957.
8)

Ausubel, David P. Educational Psychology: A cognitive view. London: Holt, Reinhart, & Winston, 1968.
p. 18.
9)

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Ausubel, D. The Psychology of Meaningful Verbal Learning. New York: Grune & Stratton. 1963.
10)

Joyce, Bruce R., Marsha Weil, and Emily Calhoun. Models of teaching. Allyn and Bacon, 2000.
11)

Herron, C. An investigation of the eectiveness of using an advance organizer to introduce video in

the foreign language classroom. Modern language Journal, 78, 190-197. 1994.
12)

Togo, Dennis F. Topical sequencing of questions and advance organizers impacting students
examination performance. Accounting Education, 11(3), 203-216. 2002.
13)

Leonard, David C. Learning theories, A to Z. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002.

14)

Mohammadi, M., M. Moenikia, and A. Zahed-Babelan. The role of advance organizer on English
language learning as a second language. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences 2, no. 2:
46674671. 2010.
15)

Lin, H., and T. Chen. Reading authentic EFL text using visualization and advance organizers in a
multimedia learning environment. Language Learning & Technology 11, no. 3: 83106. 2007.
16)

Kiewra, Kenneth A., Richard E. Mayer, Nelson F. Dubois, Maribeth Christensen, Sung-Il Kim, and Nancy
Risch. Eects of Advance Organizers and Repeated Presentations on Students Learning. The Journal
of Experimental Education 65, no. 2, 1997.
17)

Mayer, Richard E. Twenty years of research on advance organizers: Assimilation theory is still the best
predictor of results. Instructional Science 8, no. 2: 133-167. April 1979.
18)

Shihusa, H., and F. N Keraro. Using Advance Organizers to Enhance Students Motivation in Learning
Biology. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology Education 5, no. 4: 413420. 2009.

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