At which stage of cognitive development can adolescents think, reason and analyse beyond the realm of concrete experiences?

AFormal operational stage ✓ Correct

BSensorimotor stage

CConcrete operational stage

DPre-operational stage

Correct answer: (A) Formal operational stage

Explanation

The formal operational stage lets adolescents reason and analyse beyond concrete experiences, using abstract and hypothetical thought.

The sensorimotor stage (B) covers birth to two years, learning through senses and action.

The concrete operational stage (C) handles logic only with tangible objects.

The pre-operational stage (D) is marked by symbolic but pre-logical thinking.

Formal operations begin around age eleven and enable hypothetico-deductive reasoning.

Jean Piaget defined these four stages of cognitive development.

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