Laura and Ted like to play "house," a game they invented in which Laura pretends to be the "mother" and Ted the "father." In this game, Laura cooks the food on a pretend stove and Ted takes out the pretend garbage. The ability to play this game relies most directly on which cognitive ability?
A) egocentrism
B) conservation
C) reversibility
D) symbolic representation

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The ability to engage in pretend play and use objects symbolically is known as symbolic representation. This ability allows children to use objects or actions to represent something else (such as using a toy phone to represent a real phone) and is essential for playing games like "house." Egocentrism, conservation, and reversibility are not directly related to the ability to engage in symbolic play.

Laura and Ted Like to Play "House," a Game They