The Formal Operational Stage Flashcards
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
