Which cognitive ability is developed during the concrete operational stage in Piaget's theory?

The concrete operational stage in Piaget's theory, which typically occurs between the ages of 7 and 11, is characterized by significant developments in a child's cognitive abilities, particularly in logical thinking and understanding the principle of conservation. During this stage, children begin to think logically about concrete events and understand the concepts of time, space, and quantity, while still struggling with abstract ideas.

Inductive reasoning is the correct answer because it involves making generalizations based on specific observations or experiences. Children in the concrete operational stage can observe specific instances and draw broader conclusions from them, showcasing a maturity in their reasoning capabilities that was not present in earlier stages. For example, if a child sees that a friend always brings lunch to school whenever they pack one, they may conclude that their friend always brings lunch when they attend school. This ability to draw conclusions based on evidence marks an important cognitive development during this stage.

In contrast, deductive reasoning, which involves starting with a general principle or theory and applying it to specific instances, becomes more developed in the formal operational stage that follows the concrete operational stage. Object permanence is a concept that emerges much earlier, during the sensorimotor stage, as infants learn that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen. Eg