In Piaget's view of cognitive development, accomodation occurs when a child changes his/her theories of how the world in response to a piece of information that his/her current theories cannot handle. It is the complementary process to assimilation.

In Biology, the action of focusing the human visual system, by direct adjustment of the focal length of the crystalline lens in the eyes.

Cilliary muscles relax or contract to change the shape of the flexible crystalline lens. When the muscles are relaxed, the lens will be thin, and an object at infinity will be focused on the retina. As the object comes closer, the muscles contract, making the lens thicker while keeping the object in focus on the retina.

The closest point on which the eye can focus is called the near point. The near point is about 7cm in front of the eye for a teenager and gets farther with age.

The compliance to or the disruption of habitual responses in the accommodation mechanism serves as one of the physiological cues for depth perception.

The phenomenon of accommodation is the main reason why a stereo pair is insufficient in recreating three-dimentional scenes.

Ac*com`mo*da"tion (#), n. [L. accommodatio, fr. accommodare: cf. F. accommodation.]

1.

The act of fitting or adapting, or the state of being fitted or adapted; adaptation; adjustment; -- followed by to.

"The organization of the body with accommodation to its functions."

Sir M. Hale.

2.

Willingness to accommodate; obligingness.

3.

Whatever supplies a want or affords ease, refreshment, or convenience; anything furnished which is desired or needful; -- often in the plural; as, the accommodations -- that is, lodgings and food -- at an inn.

Sir W. Scott.

4.

An adjustment of differences; state of agreement; reconciliation; settlement.

"To come to terms of accommodation."

Macaulay.

5.

The application of a writer's language, on the ground of analogy, to something not originally referred to or intended.

Many of those quotations from the Old Testament were probably intended as nothing more than accommodations. Paley.

6. Com. (a)

A loan of money.

(b)

An accommodation bill or note.

Accommodation bill, or note Com., a bill of exchange which a person accepts, or a note which a person makes and delivers to another, not upon a consideration received, but for the purpose of raising money on credit. -- Accommodation coach, or train, one running at moderate speed and stopping at all or nearly all stations. -- Accommodation ladder Naut., a light ladder hung over the side of a ship at the gangway, useful in ascending from, or descending to, small boats.

 

© Webster 1913.

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