Larry notices that his son Tate is having a great time playing near the kitchen sink. When Larry asks Tate what he is doing, Tate responds, "It is fun to look at two different-size glasses, imagine water pouring back and forth between them, and knowing that the amount of water stays the same even though the glass shapes differ." Piaget would describe Tate's comments as indicating that he has acquired
A)animism.
B)egocentrism.
C)irreversibility.
D)a mental operation.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Tate's comments indicate that he has acquired a mental operation, specifically conservation. Conservation is the understanding that changing the appearance of an object (in this case, the shape of the glass) does not change its basic properties (in this case, the amount of water it holds). This is a hallmark of concrete operational thinking, which typically emerges between 7 and 12 years of age, according to Piaget's theory of cognitive development. Animism, egocentrism, and irreversibility are all characteristics of earlier stages in Piaget's theory.

Larry Notices That His Son Tate Is Having a Great