Introduction
Each stage of a child’s development has its characteristics, especially when it comes to learning processes. Piaget’s conservation theory is one approach that suggests four stages of a child’s mental development, aiming to outline the peculiarities of acquiring knowledge at each phase (Cherry, 2020). The settings that the framework is built upon include the sensorimotor stage (0-2 years), preoperational stage (2-7 years), concrete operational stage (7-11 years), and formal active stage (12+ years). The preoperational stage is when a child cannot logically perceive the world, using imagination most of the time. Therefore, it is imperative to explore learning patterns during this period and their influence on future development.
Key features
The preoperational stage among children, occurring from ages 2 to 7, is defined by Piaget as the one where children prevalently use symbols to express their messages or feelings. The usage of unrealistic abstracts to determine the engagement in pretend play. Even though the kids use language at the preoperational stage, they are yet to manipulate and correctly perceive the information (Marwaha, 2017). Children in this period cannot correctly identify the logic behind the words, majorly because it is based on their limited personal knowledge.
The preoperational stage is subsequently divided into two more periods: the symbolic function and the intuitive thought substages. The symbolic function substage covers the ages 2 to 4 and is mainly characterized by kids’ ability to represent objects that are not physically present using their imagination (Cherry, 2020). An additional feature of this period is a person’s dependence on personal experience in problem-solving, which is rationally very small, making them reliant on others.
The intuitive thought substage lasts from 4 to 7 years old and is described as a significant improvement in intuitive thinking. The rapid development, children become more dependent on intuition and curiosity rather than perception. Even though at this stage, children are only able to use their little experience, they are more interested in asking questions in an attempt to understand how everything works.
Assertions about Children’s Cognitive Abilities at the Preoperational Stage
Pretend Play
Pretend play is the most common activity at the preoperational stage, which defines this period in a child’s life. Toys for kids from 4 to 7 play a significant role in developing the imagination, in a way where objects may become something they are not (Cherry, 2020). Even in a room full of children, each child is absorbed in their private world. Therefore, the primary function of speech is to externalize the child’s thinking instead of using it to communicate with the surrounding.
Egocentrism
Egocentrism in the early life stage is defined positively, referring to the tendency and naĂŻve inability to critically perceive the situations. Kids at this point are incompetent to assume that others do not see the world around them identically; therefore he/she can solely attribute their perspective to the situation, without considering alternative views (Marwaha, 2017). Nevertheless, by the end of the preoperational stage, the egocentric worldview slowly vanishes as kids become more intelligent.
Influence on the future
At the preoperational stage of a child’s life, there is a critical need to discover regulation methods to ensure the correct future development of critical thinking and logic. The education of communicating with others is critical for a child’s orientation in the world and using context clues to properly define and respond to situations (Marwaha, 2017). Moreover, the egocentric quality needs to properly decrease so that children could tolerate and understand the different points of view in their continual life.
Conclusion
Piaget’s theory of conservation with children in the preoperational stage outlines the vital periods of a child’s development. This specific age includes a common prevalence of pretend play in the child’s life, as well as a centric focus on egocentrism. During this time, kids think in a symbolic matter, unable to use cognitive operations yet. Thus parents need to observe and teach their offspring correct behavior patterns and logical perception to develop their communication skills.
References
Cherry, K. (2020). The 4 Stages of Cognitive Development. Verywell Mind. Web.
Marwaha, S. (2017). Prevalence of Principles of Piaget’s Theory Among 4-7-year-old Children and their Correlation with IQ. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. Web.