Formal operational stage of cognitive development examples

Q: What is an example of formal operational stage?

For example, an eye in the middle of ones hand would be useful for looking around corners. An eye at the back of ones head could be helpful for seeing what is happening in the background. Creative ideas represent the use of abstract and hypothetical thinking, both important indicators of formal operational thought.

Back to: Childhood and Growing Up – Unit 5

Table of Contents Show

Characteristics of the Formal Operational Stage of Cognitive Development
What is an example of formal operational stage?
What happens during the formal operational stage?
Which child is in the formal operational stage of cognitive development?
What are formal operational thoughts?

Contents

1 Formal Operational Stage of Cognitive Development
2 Characteristics of the Formal Operational Stage of Cognitive Development
3 Conclusion

Cognitive development refers to the acquisition of thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving abilities. The theory of cognitive development was developed by Jean Piaget who is referred to as the father of cognitive development. He was a Swiss psychologist who examined the change in thought processes in children. Jean Piaget asserts,

“Cognitive development is a progressive reorganization of mental processes as a result of biological maturation and environmental experience.”

According to Jean Piaget, the formal operational stage of cognitive development is the stage which is the most important stage in child development. Piaget believed that there were four main stages of cognitive development namely, the sensorimotor stage, the preoperational stage, the concrete operational stage, and the formal operational stage. The formal operational stage of cognitive development begins at 12 years and goes on till adulthood.

Characteristics of the Formal Operational Stage of Cognitive Development

The characteristics of the formal operational stage are as follows.

During this stage, the thoughts start becoming increasingly abstract and flexible.
Children start thinking about the consequences of their actions and start developing problem solving skills.
Children start developing deductive reasoning which is the act of reasoning one or more statements to arrive at a logical conclusion.
Children also start developing inductive reasoning which refers to the process of moving from specific observations to generalisations.
In this stage, children also start understanding that the rules of a game are developed by mutual agreement.
During this stage, teens start thinking about issues that require abstract and theoretical reasoning such as moral, social, ethical, political, and philosophical issues.
In this stage, they develop the ability to manipulate ideas and think in an abstract manner.

Conclusion

The formal operational stage is a stage of various developments. The school curriculum must be formulated according to these developmental changes.

In his theory of cognitive development, Jean Piaget stated that there are four stages that each individual goes through. The fourth and last stage of cognitive development is called the Formal Operational Stage. This period takes place at around 12 years old and lasts well into adulthood.

What Happens During the Formal Operational Stage?

This is the time when thinking skills become advanced and more sophisticated. Those in this stage can think about abstract and theoretical concepts and can use logic to come up with solutions to problems.

Skills such as logical thought, deductive reasoning, and systematic planning are developed during this time.

Developing the Idea: Piaget’s Research

Jean Piaget conducted tests to support his theory of cognitive development. For the Formal Operational Stage, he came up with two: (1) physical conceptualization and (2) abstraction of thought.

For physical conceptualization, he used the concept of balance. Children from different age groups were asked to balance a scale. He found that those in the Formal Operational Stage (approximately 13 years old) made a hypothesis about where to place the weights to achieve balance. 10-year-old subjects used the trial-and-error method, while 7-year-olds placed weights on each side of the scale but did not consider the placement of the weights. Subjects younger than 7 years old were not able to complete the task because they did not understand the concept of balance.

In the second test, which had to do with the abstraction of thought, children were asked to think of where to put a third eye if they could have one. Most of the younger children stated that they wanted to place the third eye in the middle of the forehead, while those in the Formal Operational Stage suggested more creative answers like putting it behind the head to see what’s happening behind them.

Creative ideas such as the answers provided by the children in the Formal Operational Stage are indicative of the use of abstract and hypothetical thought.

Notable Skills

The skills listed below are indicators of the Formal Operational Stage of Cognitive Development:

1. Deductive Logic – this has to do with being able to think in broader terms. Children at this stage can come up with solutions to problems using logic and general principles. This skill is useful in Science and Math.

2. Abstract Thought – has to do with being able to think about abstract ideas. They consider possible outcomes, which include out-of-the-box ideas to solve problems. This skill is useful for long term planning.

3. Problem Solving – is the ability to plan an efficient and logical approach to solve a problem.

4. Hypothetical-Deductive Reasoning – children at this age think about what-ifs and attempt to formulate various solutions to solve them.

Summary

The Formal Operational Stage is the last of four stages of cognitive development posited by Jean Piaget. Formal operational thinkers can think of different solutions to solve a problem, including those that are creative and abstract. Individuals in this stage think carefully before they act.

What is an example of formal operational stage?

For example, an eye in the middle of one's hand would be useful for looking around corners. An eye at the back of one's head could be helpful for seeing what is happening in the background. Creative ideas represent the use of abstract and hypothetical thinking, both important indicators of formal operational thought.

What happens during the formal operational stage?

The formal operational stage is characterized by the ability to formulatehypotheses and systematically test them to arrive at an answer to a problem. The individual in the formal stage is also able to think abstractly and tounderstand the form or structure of a mathematical problem.

Which child is in the formal operational stage of cognitive development?

…children emerge into the fourth, formal-operational period, which begins at about age 12 and continues throughout life. The formal-operational child develops thinking skills in all logical combinations and learns to think with abstract concepts.