Mrs. Potter asks Malik if he wants his sandwich in one piece, or cut into two pieces. Malik asks her to keep it in one piece, because he isn't hungry enough to eat two pieces. What does this answer suggest about Malik's cognitive development?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Malik's response suggests that he does not yet understand conservation, which is the idea that even if the appearance of an object changes, its basic properties remain the same. In this case, cutting the sandwich into two pieces would not change the amount of food he has, but Malik is unable to comprehend that concept and prefers to keep the sandwich in one piece. This is typical of children in the preoperational stage of cognitive development, which lasts from approximately age 2 to age 7.

Mrs Potter Asks Malik If He Wants His Sandwich in One