Question

In the preoperational stage of cognitive development, children typically exhibit:

a) Ability to solve multiple problems simultaneously
b) Capacity to consider multiple aspects of a problem
c) Tendency to focus on one aspect of a problem at a time
d) Aptitude for abstract reasoning

Answer 1

Children in the preoperational stage typically exhibit a tendency to focus on one aspect of a problem at a time due to their developing cognitive abilities and lack of understanding of conservation.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the preoperational stage of cognitive development, which spans approximately from ages 2 to 7, children often demonstrate the tendency to focus on one aspect of a problem at a time. This is due to their not yet fully developed ability to perform mental operations and understand the concept of conservation. Within this stage, children use symbols and engage in pretend play, but still lack the ability to apply adult logic or to manipulate information mentally; hence, they are considered to be 'pre-operational'. An example that illustrates this comes from the scenario where a child misconstrues that more pieces of a pizza slice equate to a larger quantity of pizza, not understanding that the quantity remains unchanged despite appearance. This indicates that their logic is bound to their immediate and personal perspective rather than a broader, more abstract understanding.