Human Growth and Development

Stage 2: Preoperational

Key Achievements

Children use symbols to communicate ( semiotic function) and use transductive reasoning (illogical thinking). Egocentrism: Difficulty seeing the world from another's perspective (may develop empathy depending on experiences). Struggle with logical thinking and conservation (amount of substance stays the same regardless of shape).

Improved language skills, memory, and categorization skills.

Stages 3 and 4

Key Achievements

Stage 3: Concrete Preoperational Children can perform mental operations on concrete objects. Logical reasoning: Solve problems in a step-by-step manner.

Understands conservation: Quantity remains constant despite changes in shape or form. Understanding of reversibility: Awareness that actions can be reversed. Ex. A child folds a piece of paper into a small square and then unfolds it back to its original shape. They recognize that the process can be reversed, and the paper hasn’t changed fundamentally. Classification: Grouping objects based on similar characteristics. Seriation: Ordering objects along a specific dimension (e.g., size, weight). As children become more aware of their thinking, they develop metacognition —the ability to reflect on their thoughts and understand others' ideas.

Stage 4: Formal Operational Adolescents can think abstractly and hypothetically.

© 2025 ACHIEVE ULTIMATE CREDIT-BY-EXAM GUIDE | HUMAN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT