A Level Psychology OCR Practice Exam

Which of the following stages is not part of Piaget's stages of cognitive development?

1. Concrete operational

2. Associative operational

3. Preoperational

4. Formal operational

The correct answer is: Associative operational

The choice of Associative operational as the answer is correct because it does not exist in Piaget's theory of cognitive development. Jean Piaget, a Swiss psychologist, proposed a well-established model of cognitive development that includes four specific stages: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational. Each of these stages represents a distinct period in a child's ability to understand and interact with the world. The preoperational stage, which typically occurs from ages 2 to 7 years, focuses on the development of language and symbolic thinking, although it is characterized by egocentrism and a lack of logical reasoning. The concrete operational stage follows, usually from ages 7 to 11, during which children begin to think logically about concrete events. Lastly, the formal operational stage, starting around age 12 and continuing into adulthood, encompasses the ability to think abstractly, reason logically, and use deductive reasoning. The term "associative operational" does not fit within this framework as it is not recognized in the stages outlined by Piaget. Thus, the identification of this term as the non-existent stage within Piaget's theory is accurate.