Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCharacteristicsEgocentrismConservationCriticisms and Modern ViewsWhen to Be ConcernedNext in Stages of Cognitive Development GuideThe Concrete Operational Stage of Cognitive Development
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Characteristics
Egocentrism
Conservation
Criticisms and Modern Views
When to Be Concerned
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The preoperational stage is the second stage inPiaget’s theory of cognitive development. This stage begins around age 2, as children start to talk, and lasts until approximately age 7.
During this stage, children begin to engage in symbolic play and learn to manipulate symbols. However, Piaget noted that they do not yet understand concrete logic.
Characteristics of the Preoperational Stage
The preoperational stage occurs roughly between the ages 2 and 7. Language development is one of the hallmarks of this period.
Piaget noted that children at the beginning of this stage do not yet understand concrete logic, cannot mentally manipulate information, and are unable to take the point of view of other people, which he termed egocentrism.
Role-playing also becomes important at this age. Children often play the roles of “mommy,” “daddy,” “doctor,” and many other characters.
Timeline of the Preoperational Stage
Two substages occur during the preoperational period of development:
Egocentrism in the Preoperational Stage
Piaget used several creative and clever techniques to study the mental abilities of children. One of the famous techniques to demonstrateegocentrismis known as the “Three Mountain Task.” In this task:
Invariably, children almost always choose the scene showingtheir ownview of the mountain scene. According to Piaget, children experience this difficulty because they cannot take on another person’s perspective.
Other researchers have also conducted similar experiments. In one study, children were shown a room in a small dollhouse. Children could see in the dollhouse that a toy was hidden behind a piece of furniture.
Children were then taken into a full-size room that was an exact replica of the dollhouse. Very young children did not understand to look behind the couch to find the toy, while slightly older children immediately searched for the toy.
Developmental psychologists refer to the ability to understand that other people have different perspectives, thoughts, feelings, and mental states astheory of mind.
Conservation in the Preoperational Stage
Another well-known experiment involves demonstrating a child’s understanding of conservation. In one conservation experiment, equal amounts of liquid are poured into two identical containers.
The liquid in one container is then poured into a differently shaped cup, such as a tall and thin cup or a short and wide cup. Children are then asked which cup holds the most liquid. Despite seeing that the liquid amounts were equal, children almost always choose the cup that appears fuller.
Piaget conducted several similar experiments on the conservation of number, length, mass, weight, volume, and quantity. He found that few children showed any understanding of conservation prior to the age of five.
While influential, Piaget’s theories are not without criticisms. Some of these center on:
The concepts of egocentrism and conservation are centered on abilities that children have not yet developed; they lack the understanding that things look different to other people and that objects can change in appearance while maintaining the same properties.
Skills Often Emerge Earlier Than Piaget Suggested
However, not everyone agrees with Piaget’s assessment of children’s abilities. Researcher Martin Hughes, for example, argued that the reason that children failed at the three mountains task was simply that they did not understand it.
In one experiment, Hughes demonstrated that children as young as age 4 were able to understand situations from multiple points of view, suggesting that children become less egocentric at an earlier age than Piaget believed.
How children engage with the environment may also play a part in their ability to understand the world around them. Researchers have found, for example, that children tend to struggle more with understanding the principle of conservation when they are passive observers.
Kids who actively manipulate materials can better recognize that quantity remains the same even when split up or placed in different containers.
Several importantcognitive milestonesemerge during the preoperational stage of development. Some of these include:
Understanding such milestones can help you better assess whether or not your child’s development is on track. However, it is essential to recognize that all children develop at different rates.
If your child is not meeting one or more milestones after the age such skills typically emerge, it may be cause for concern.
Talk to your child’s doctor if you are worried that your child is not achieving milestones that typically happen during the preoperational stage. They can assess your child’s abilities to determine if your child needs additional assistance or intervention.
The Concrete Operational Stage of Cognitive Development
6 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Piaget J.Part I: Cognitive development in children: Piaget development and learning.J Res Sci Teach.1964;2:176-186. doi:10.1002/tea.3660020306Lally M, Valentine-French S.Cognitive development. InLifespan Development: A Psychological Perspective, 2nd ed. Portland State University.Piaget J, Inhelder B.The Child’s Conception of Space, Selected Works.New York: Routledge; 2013.Freund LS.Maternal regulation of children’s problem-solving behavior and its impact on children’s performance.Child Development. 1990;61(1):113. doi:10.2307/1131052Lozada M, Carro N.Embodied action improves cognition in children: Evidence from a study based on Piagetian conservation tasks.Front Psychol. 2016;7:393. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00393Krasnova TN, Samokhodskaya LM, Ivanitsky LV, et al.[Impact of interleukin-10 and interleukin-28 gene polymorphisms on the development and course of lupus nephritis].Ter Arkh.2015;87(6):40-44. doi:10.17116/terarkh201587640-44
6 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Piaget J.Part I: Cognitive development in children: Piaget development and learning.J Res Sci Teach.1964;2:176-186. doi:10.1002/tea.3660020306Lally M, Valentine-French S.Cognitive development. InLifespan Development: A Psychological Perspective, 2nd ed. Portland State University.Piaget J, Inhelder B.The Child’s Conception of Space, Selected Works.New York: Routledge; 2013.Freund LS.Maternal regulation of children’s problem-solving behavior and its impact on children’s performance.Child Development. 1990;61(1):113. doi:10.2307/1131052Lozada M, Carro N.Embodied action improves cognition in children: Evidence from a study based on Piagetian conservation tasks.Front Psychol. 2016;7:393. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00393Krasnova TN, Samokhodskaya LM, Ivanitsky LV, et al.[Impact of interleukin-10 and interleukin-28 gene polymorphisms on the development and course of lupus nephritis].Ter Arkh.2015;87(6):40-44. doi:10.17116/terarkh201587640-44
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Piaget J.Part I: Cognitive development in children: Piaget development and learning.J Res Sci Teach.1964;2:176-186. doi:10.1002/tea.3660020306Lally M, Valentine-French S.Cognitive development. InLifespan Development: A Psychological Perspective, 2nd ed. Portland State University.Piaget J, Inhelder B.The Child’s Conception of Space, Selected Works.New York: Routledge; 2013.Freund LS.Maternal regulation of children’s problem-solving behavior and its impact on children’s performance.Child Development. 1990;61(1):113. doi:10.2307/1131052Lozada M, Carro N.Embodied action improves cognition in children: Evidence from a study based on Piagetian conservation tasks.Front Psychol. 2016;7:393. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00393Krasnova TN, Samokhodskaya LM, Ivanitsky LV, et al.[Impact of interleukin-10 and interleukin-28 gene polymorphisms on the development and course of lupus nephritis].Ter Arkh.2015;87(6):40-44. doi:10.17116/terarkh201587640-44
Piaget J.Part I: Cognitive development in children: Piaget development and learning.J Res Sci Teach.1964;2:176-186. doi:10.1002/tea.3660020306
Lally M, Valentine-French S.Cognitive development. InLifespan Development: A Psychological Perspective, 2nd ed. Portland State University.
Piaget J, Inhelder B.The Child’s Conception of Space, Selected Works.New York: Routledge; 2013.
Freund LS.Maternal regulation of children’s problem-solving behavior and its impact on children’s performance.Child Development. 1990;61(1):113. doi:10.2307/1131052
Lozada M, Carro N.Embodied action improves cognition in children: Evidence from a study based on Piagetian conservation tasks.Front Psychol. 2016;7:393. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00393
Krasnova TN, Samokhodskaya LM, Ivanitsky LV, et al.[Impact of interleukin-10 and interleukin-28 gene polymorphisms on the development and course of lupus nephritis].Ter Arkh.2015;87(6):40-44. doi:10.17116/terarkh201587640-44
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