Final answer:
Children under five typically understand death as a type of separation; they lack comprehension of its permanence. A cognitive change from egocentric views to the beginnings of theory-of-mind occurs by age 5, but the abstract concept of death remains complex for them.
Step-by-step explanation:
Children younger than five years of age have a limited understanding of death. In the early stages of their cognitive development, they may perceive death as a form of separation but cannot comprehend the permanence and finality of death. During the ages of 2-3, a critical cognitive change occurs where children are described as egocentric, not fully aware of other's perspectives. By ages 3-5, they begin to develop a theory-of-mind (ToM), realizing that others have different thoughts, feelings, and beliefs from their own. However, their grasp on abstract concepts like death is still immature.
Young children in this age group might understand physical aspects of death, such as someone not moving or waking up, but they do not yet understand that death is universal, irreversible, and affects all living beings. The concept of death is often too complex for a young child's cognitive developmental stage. Their understanding is more concrete and based on what they can see and experience directly.