In: Psychology
The Preoperational Stage of Cognitive Development In early Childhood
This theory is proposed by Jean Piaget. Preoperational stage is
second stage in “ Piaget’s theory of cognitive development.” This
stage starts at the age of 2 and ends at the age of 7.
Major Changes in children
at this stage
At this stage children start to remember things and persons by
using symbols.They also manipulate the symbols but They will not
understand concrete logic and They are very good at learning
language skills .Children will play roles like mummy, daddy ,police
and theif etc,. Children will struggle with egocentrism
Ego Centrism
At this stage they will struggle with egocentrism that
they can’t understand that perspective will change in
person by person.
Conservation
At this stage children will fail to understand the logic of
conservation. If we take two same pieces of clay, Made ball shape
with one piece of clay and made flat pancake with other piece.
Children will think that flat pancake is bigger in size than ball
shape because that looks like big.
Criticism
Most of the psychologists complained that jean piaget
underistimated children’s cognitive capability in terms of
‘egocentrism’ and ‘conservation’.They argued that at the age of 4
children will over come those problems and they disagree with jean
piaget.