Final answer:
Piaget's view is that formal operational reasoning, which includes the ability to think abstractly and handle hypothetical situations, emerges in adolescence. Formal operational thought is the developmental stage starting around 11 years old and is characterized by logical reasoning and abstract thinking. Contemporary research suggests that cognitive development may be more continuous and children can achieve certain milestones earlier than Piaget's stages propose.
Step-by-step explanation:
Research strongly supports Piaget's view that formal operational reasoning does not emerge until adolescence. During this stage, individuals move beyond concrete thinking to be capable of abstract thought. This cognitive development includes reasoning logically, solving hypothetical problems, and considering multiple points of view. Piaget's formal operational stage denotes the period from about age 11 when children can handle abstract ideas and hypothetical situations, contrasting with the concrete operational stage where thought is limited to concrete events.
Formal operational thought is integral to teenage thinking and is characterized by the ability to problem solve, look at alternative solutions, and test these solutions against different scenarios. Adolescents develop the capacity to think about abstract concepts, engage in sophisticated reasoning, and understand complex ideas that are not directly tied to tangible objects and events. This form of reasoning allows adolescents to tackle complex problems in mathematics, science, philosophy, and other areas requiring an understanding that extends beyond the here and now.
Some developmental psychologists argue that after the formal operational stage, a postformal stage may exist where logic is integrated with emotion and decisions are made based on context, indicative of a more mature thinking process. Furthermore, while Piaget's model suggests discrete stages of development, contemporary research often supports a model that is more continuous and acknowledges that children may reach cognitive milestones earlier than what Piaget's theory suggests.