Piagetian Theory: Preoperational Stage        

Piaget: Preoperational & Concrete Operational Stages

n    Preoperational Stage from 2 to 7 years

n    Concrete Operational Stage from 7 to adolescence

n    Piaget�s Early Work (1920�s to 1940�s)

n   Based primarily on observations and interviews with children

n   Focused on lack of logical reasoning in preoperations

 

Evidence of illogical reasoning

n    Transductive logic: logic is neither deductive nor inductive, but rather from point to point

n   Sometimes this is correct.  For example: When Dad runs the water he is going to shave

n   But at other times, children incorrectly deduce or generalize

n  For example: Since my mother is sick, your mother must also be sick

n    Do kids really lack logic?

 

Lack of causal reasoning

n    Causes children to have juxtopositions of phrases

n   For example: Because he broke his arm he fell off his bike

Egocentrism

n    Inability to take or understand another perspective

n    Language

n    Thought

n    Emotions

n    Perspective

 

Other aspects of Pre Operational Thought (Early Work)

n    Inaccurate beliefs in animism

n    Distortion of thoughts based on desires

n    Problems:

n   Work was quite subjective

n   Not aware of language problems

n   Over-stated the lack of skills

 

Piaget�s Later Research

n    Based on the �Clinical Method�

n    Used Conservation Tasks: tests the understanding that certain physical characteristics of objects remain the same, even when their outward appearance changes.

 

Conservation of Liquid

Conservation of Area

Preoperations

n    Preoperational children lack the ability to think operationally: Thought that is organized, logical and integrated.  Thinking that is based on logical conclusions, not merely perceptions.

Preoperational vs. Concrete Operational Thought

n    Centered (centration)

n    Lack of Coordination

n    Tied to Perceptions

n    Lack of Reversibility

n    Egocentric

 

n    Decentered

n    Coordinated Thought

n    Logic beyond perception

n    Reversible thought

n    Less egocentrism

 

 

Perception over Thought