The Formal Operational Stage Flashcards
(7 cards)
How has thinking changed in the formal operational stage?
Thinking is more flexible, they can think hypothetically.
What is flexible thinking?
When faced with a problem if a solution doesn’t work being able to think up new ways to reach a conclusion
Inhelder and Piaget 1958 investigated what study?
The pendulum problem
How did children complete the pendulum problem (1956)?
They had to change one thing at a time until they reached a conclusion
Children who hadn’t reached the formal operational stage struggled with the pendulum problem. But why?
They could not systematically reason and could not reach a conclusion
Mortorano found what problem with the formal operational stage?
It was very controversial. Not everyone reaches it - 2/20 participants were only able to complete 10 tasks set for this stage
What age do children reach the formal operational stage?
12
