FTCE Professional Education Practice Exam

What stage of Piaget's cognitive development occurs from age 7 to 11, where children can take another's point of view?

1. Preoperational

2. Concrete operations

3. Formal operations

4. Sensorimotor

The correct answer is: Concrete operations

The stage of cognitive development that occurs from age 7 to 11 is known as the Concrete Operations stage. During this period, children begin to think logically about concrete events. One of the key characteristics of this stage is that children can grasp the concept of conservation—they understand that quantity remains the same despite changes in shape or arrangement. Additionally, children in this stage start to develop the ability to take another person's perspective, which allows them to better understand social interactions and develop empathy. They are able to think about how others might feel or think in various situations, which is a significant cognitive leap forward compared to earlier stages. This stage also allows children to organize their thoughts logically and classify objects according to multiple criteria. They can handle more complex understanding and reasoning based on tangible, concrete experiences, as opposed to abstract concepts that are characteristic of later stages. Overall, the Concrete Operations stage marks a notable advancement in cognitive development, emphasizing logical thinking and perspective-taking.