FTCE Professional Education Practice Exam

What is one of the stages of Jean Piaget's theory of intellectual development?

1. Abstract Operational Stage

2. Preoperational Stage

3. Conceptual Stage

4. Intuitive Stage

The correct answer is: Preoperational Stage

One of the stages of Jean Piaget's theory of intellectual development is the Preoperational Stage. This stage typically occurs between the ages of 2 and 7 and is characterized by the development of language and symbolic thinking, which enables children to engage in imaginative play. Children in this stage begin to form mental representations of objects, but their reasoning is still intuitive and not yet logical. They tend to be egocentric, meaning they have difficulty in seeing things from perspectives other than their own. During the Preoperational Stage, children's thinking is dominated by what they see and experience directly. They struggle with understanding the concept of conservation, which refers to the understanding that quantity remains the same despite changes in shape or appearance. This stage is crucial for children as it lays the foundation for further cognitive development in subsequent stages, such as the Concrete Operational Stage.