AP PSYCHOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Piaget’s theory of child development fourth stage, the period of formal operations, begins at age 12 and extends into adulthood. It is characterized by an orderliness of thinking and a mastery of logical thought, allowing a more flexible kind of mental experimentation.

Detailed explanation-2: -Piaget stated that “hypothetical-deductive reasoning” becomes important during the formal operational stage. This type of thinking involves hypothetical “what-if” situations that are not always rooted in reality, i.e. counterfactual thinking.

Detailed explanation-3: -In the formal operational stage, children have the ability to systematically solve a problem in a logical and methodical way. They are capable of thinking about abstract and hypothetical ideas that lead to multiple solutions or possible outcomes.

Detailed explanation-4: -The formal operational stage is the fourth and final stage in Piaget’stheory. It begins at approximately 11 to 12 years of age, and continuesthroughout adulthood, although Piaget does point out that some people may neverreach this stage of cognitive development.