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The limitation of pre-operational thought of focusing attention on one characteristic while excluding all other characteristics is called ______________.

User David Gao
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Final answer:

The limitation referred to in the question is called centration, which is an aspect of preoperational thought where a child focuses on one characteristic of an object while ignoring others. This can lead to logical errors and is a phase children typically outgrow as they develop.

Step-by-step explanation:

The limitation of pre-operational thought of focusing attention on one characteristic while excluding all other characteristics is called centration.

During the preoperational stage, according to Piaget, children are unable to consider multiple aspects of a situation simultaneously.

A classic example of centration can be seen in the inability to understand the concept of conservation; a child may believe that a tall, narrow glass contains more liquid than a short, wide glass even if both contain the same amount because the child focuses only on the height and ignores the width.

Centration often leads to errors in thinking, such as a hasty generalization or a false dichotomy, because the child is making judgments based on a limited view.

As children age and move into new cognitive developmental stages, their thinking becomes less centric and more logical, eventually leading to the ability to consider multiple characteristics and perspectives of a situation.

User Abbey Jackson
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