Educacion

The period from adolescence through adulthood is the formal operational stage. Adolescents and adults use symbols related to abstract concepts. Adolescents can think about multiple variables insystematic ways, can formulate hypotheses, and think about abstract relationships and concepts.
Piaget believed that intellectual development was a lifelong process, but that when formal operationalthought was attained, no new structures were needed. Intellectual development in adults involves developing more complex schema through the addition of knowledge.
Characteristics of the FormalOperational Stage:
The formal operational stage begins at approximately age twelve to and lasts into adulthood. During this time, people develop the ability to think about abstract concepts. Skills such aslogical thought, deductive reasoning, and systematic planning also emerge during this stage.
Logic:
Piaget believed that deductive logic becomes important during the formal operational stage.Deductive logic requires the ability to use a general principle to determine a specific outcome. This type of thinking involves hypothetical situations and is often required in science and mathematics.Abstract Thought:
While children tend to think very concretely and specifically in earlier stages, the ability to think about abstract concepts emerges during the formal operational stage. Instead ofrelying solely on previous experiences, children begin to consider possible outcomes and consequences of actions. This type of thinking is important in long-term planning.
Problem-Solving:
In earlierstages, children used trial-and-error to solve problems. During the formal operational stage, the ability to systematically solve a problem in a logical and methodical way emerges. Children at theformal operational stage of cognitive development are often able to quickly plan an organized approach to solving a problem.

Age | Period | Characteristics |
0-2 | Sensori-motor | The infant learns...