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Instead of thinking a problem through, children tend to rely on trial-and-error strategies. True or False?

1) True
2) False

User Winlin
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

True

Children often use trial-and-error strategies in problem-solving, reflecting their stage of cognitive development. As they grow, their cognitive skills, including theory-of-mind, enhance their problem-solving approaches.

Step-by-step explanation:

It is true that children often rely on trial-and-error strategies for problem solving. This approach is reflected in the ease with which children experiment with different solutions until they find one that works.

The trial-and-error method can be especially prevalent in younger children who are in the preoperational stage of cognitive development, as described by Jean Piaget. At this stage, thoughtful reflection on a problem's potential solutions may not be as developed, leading to a preference for trial-and-error tactics over more deliberate problem-solving strategies.

In contrast to simple trial-and-error, as children grow and develop higher cognitive functions, including theory-of-mind (TOM), they become increasingly capable of understanding others' perspectives and can use this skill to refine their problem-solving abilities. Nevertheless, reliance on trial-and-error can still be observed even as children's cognitive abilities mature.

User Guillermo Barreiro
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