Beginning at the age of Piaget's ____ stage, children judge wrongdoing by considering whether the action was "just an accident" vs. "done on purpose."

Question

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Piaget's theory of moral development proposes two stages- heteronomous morality and autonomous morality. In the heteronomous morality stage (typically up to age 10), children's judgments of right and wrong are based on external authority figures and rules (heteronomous means "other-directed"). In contrast, the autonomous morality stage (usually beginning at age 10 or older) is characterized by increasing regards for individual rights and intentions - children begin to see rules as social agreements rather than external dictates. In this stage, children consider the factors like motive and intentionality when judging wrongdoing; therefore, they can differentiate between "just an accident" and "done on purpose."

Beginning at the Age of Piaget's ____ Stage, Children Judge