What is a key characteristic of children in the concrete operational stage?

What is a key characteristic of children in the concrete operational stage?

• A. They think abstractly about hypothetical situations
• B. They use egocentric thinking
• C. They understand the concept of conservation
• D. They are not capable of logical thought

Answer: (C)

Children in the concrete operational stage, which typically occurs between the ages of 7 and 11 according to Piaget's theory of cognitive development, demonstrate the ability to understand the concept of conservation. This means that they grasp that certain properties of objects, such as volume, mass, and number, remain the same even when their form or appearance changes. For instance, when water is poured from a short, wide glass into a tall, narrow glass, children in this stage recognize that the amount of water remains unchanged, despite the different shapes of the containers. This stage is characterized by an increase in logical thinking, but only in relation to concrete, tangible situations. While children become more adept at organizing and manipulating information, their reasoning still largely depends on observable phenomena, rather than on abstract or hypothetical scenarios. Understanding conservation is a pivotal development during this period, reinforcing their ability to think logically about physical attributes while still being limited to the concrete rather than the abstract.

Children in the concrete operational stage, which typically occurs between the ages of 7 and 11 according to Piaget's theory of cognitive development, demonstrate the ability to understand the concept of conservation. This means that they grasp that certain properties of objects, such as volume, mass, and number, remain the same even when their form or appearance changes. For instance, when water is poured from a short, wide glass into a tall, narrow glass, children in this stage recognize that the amount of water remains unchanged, despite the different shapes of the containers.

This stage is characterized by an increase in logical thinking, but only in relation to concrete, tangible situations. While children become more adept at organizing and manipulating information, their reasoning still largely depends on observable phenomena, rather than on abstract or hypothetical scenarios. Understanding conservation is a pivotal development during this period, reinforcing their ability to think logically about physical attributes while still being limited to the concrete rather than the abstract.