Which cognitive developmental stage follows the preoperational stage in Piaget's theory?

In Piaget's theory of cognitive development, the stage that follows the preoperational stage is the concrete operational stage. This stage typically occurs between the ages of 7 and 11 years and is characterized by the development of logical reasoning and a better understanding of the concept of conservation—recognizing that quantity does not change even when its shape does. Children in this stage begin to think more logically about concrete events and can perform operations on tangible objects, which helps them to understand classifications and relationships more effectively.

During this period, children are still limited to dealing with concrete, tangible concepts, and abstract reasoning is not yet fully developed, which distinguishes it from the following stage, the formal operational stage. In contrast, the formal operational stage, which occurs after the concrete operational stage, involves the ability to think abstractly, logically, and systematically about hypothetical situations.

The option referring to egocentric operational is not a recognized stage in Piaget’s developmental theory and suggests a misunderstanding of the characteristics of the preoperational stage, which is itself marked by a certain degree of egocentrism where children have difficulty seeing things from perspectives other than their own.

In summary, the concrete operational stage is a critical step in child development where logical thinking begins to flourish