Two children are asked the following question: If you could jump into a swimming pool filled with any substance, what substance would you want the pool to be filled with? Vincent answers: "Water - that's what pools are filled with." Ted, on the other hand, answers: "Cool - I would want the pool filled with red Jello." Which of the following statements is correct regarding Vincent and Ted?
A) Ted and Vincent are both in the concrete-operational stage.
B) Ted and Vincent are both in the formal-operational stage.
C) Ted is in the concrete-operational stage and Vincent is in the formal-operational stage.
D) Vincent is in the concrete-operational stage and Ted is in the formal-operational stage.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Vincent's answer reflects concrete thinking, typical of the concrete-operational stage, where children think in very literal terms. Ted's imaginative response suggests abstract thinking, characteristic of the formal-operational stage, where individuals can think abstractly and hypothetically.

Two Children Are Asked the Following Question: If You Could