Which of 3-year-old Sarah's activities provides the best example of the symbolic function substage of preoperational thought?
A)She takes a crayon, scribbles a big blob on a piece of paper, and says, "That's you, Mommy!"
B)She says, "When Mommy leaves my room, I know that she's still in the house!"
C)She actively searches for her favourite toy, even though it is partially covered by a blanket.
D)She is making cookies and says, "Those two cookies have the same amount of dough, even though one is thicker than the other."

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The symbolic function substage is characterized by the ability to use one object or action to symbolize another. Sarah's scribbling a blob and saying it is her mommy is an example of this symbolic function. Option B deals with reasoning about invisible objects, while C involves object permanence, which is a characteristic of the sensorimotor stage. Option D demonstrates the concept of conservation, which is a feature of the concrete operational stage.

Which of 3-Year-Old Sarah's Activities Provides the Best Example of the Symbolic