At what age does the Preoperational Stage occur in Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development?

• A. Birth-2 years
• B. 2-7 years
• C. 7-11 years
• D. 11 years and older

Answer: (B)

In Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development, the Preoperational Stage occurs between the ages of 2 and 7 years. This stage is characterized by the development of language and symbolic thinking, as children begin to engage in imaginative play and use symbols to represent objects or actions. During this period, children also start to engage in egocentric thinking, where they have difficulty understanding perspectives other than their own. They begin to form relationships with the world around them but do not yet grasp concrete logic or the concept of reversibility in their reasoning.

The other age ranges indicated in the choices correspond to different stages in Piaget's theory: birth to 2 years is associated with the Sensorimotor Stage, 7 to 11 years corresponds to the Concrete Operational Stage, and 11 years and older is the Formal Operational Stage. Each of these stages has distinct characteristics that reflect how children's thinking develops as they grow. Thus, recognizing that the Preoperational Stage spans from ages 2 to 7 is crucial for understanding developmental milestones in cognitive growth.