What major cognitive shift occurs at the beginning of the Concrete Operational Stage?

• A. Beginning of symbolic thinking
• B. Beginning of egocentric thinking
• C. Beginning of logical and operational thought
• D. Beginning of abstract reasoning

Answer: (C)

The correct answer highlights the major cognitive change that occurs when a child transitions into the Concrete Operational Stage of development, as described by Jean Piaget. During this stage, which typically occurs between the ages of 7 and 11, children begin to develop logical thinking skills. They move away from magical or intuitive reasoning and start to engage in operations that are more systematic and organized.

This stage emphasizes the ability to think about concrete events rationally, such as understanding the concepts of conservation (the understanding that quantity does not change even when its shape does), classification, and seriation (the ability to arrange objects in order by size, shape, or other properties). This logical reasoning is limited to tangible objects and actual experiences, which signifies a critical shift in cognitive development.

The other concepts noted in the options reflect earlier stages of development or different cognitive processes. Symbolic thinking is primarily a feature of the Preoperational Stage, while egocentric thinking—where one views the world only from their own perspective—also falls under the earlier stage. Abstract reasoning, on the other hand, becomes more prominent during the Formal Operational Stage, which follows the Concrete Operational Stage. Thus, the emphasis on logical and operational thought shows the crucial cognitive advancement that characterizes this