Social Work Examination Services (SWES) Human Behavior Practice Test

In Piaget's theory, what stage would a 2 to 4 year old child be in?

1. Concrete Operational

2. Pre-operational

3. Formal Operational

4. Sensorimotor

The correct answer is: Pre-operational

The correct choice reflects that a child aged 2 to 4 years old is typically in the pre-operational stage of Piaget's developmental theory. This stage, which spans from approximately 2 to 7 years of age, is characterized by several key cognitive developments. During this period, children start to engage in symbolic play and use language to represent objects and experiences. Their thinking is intuitive and egocentric, meaning that they may struggle to see perspectives other than their own. Children in the pre-operational stage also begin to engage in imaginative play, where they can use objects symbolically, such as using a stick as a sword. However, their thoughts are not yet logical or organized enough to perform operations mentally; this ability develops later in the concrete operational stage. This age group also tends to have difficulty grasping the concept of conservation—the idea that quantity does not change despite changes in shape or arrangement—because they are focused on the physical appearance of objects rather than logical reasoning. In contrast, the other options refer to stages that occur either before or after the pre-operational stage. The concrete operational stage begins around age 7 and involves more logical thinking about concrete objects and real events. The formal operational stage emerges in adolescence and involves abstract and