Definitionv1
Disequilibrium: the cognitive discomfort of a model that no
Disequilibrium: the cognitive discomfort of a model that no longer works, which serves as the necessary precondition for accommodation—the process of restructuring a schema to account for new information
Why This Is a Definition
This definition clearly establishes disequilibrium as a specific cognitive state within Piaget's developmental theory, distinguishing it from related concepts like schema shock while specifying both its function (precondition for accommodation) and its mechanism (cognitive discomfort from model failure).
Source Lessons
L-0214
Schema shock when reality contradicts your model
The discomfort of a failing schema is data not damage.
L-0379
Contradiction resolution is schema evolution
Resolving contradictions often requires updating one or both of the schemas involved. The contradiction is not a flaw in reality — it is a flaw in the model. And the resolution is not choosing a side. It is evolving the schema until the contradiction dissolves into a more accurate representation of how things actually work.