AIIMS Raipur lecturer 2021
Applied Psychology
Easy

The cognitive development stage pertaining to a preschooler above the age of 2-years is:

Appeared in: AIIMS Raipur lecturer 2021

Explanation

  • The preoperational stage aligns with the preschool age group, typically defined as 2 to 7 years old.
  • This stage is characterized by the development of symbolic thinking, where children use language and mental images to represent their world.
  • Key features of this stage include egocentrism (inability to see from others' perspectives), centration (focusing on one aspect of a problem), and animism (attributing life to inanimate objects).

Why Other Options Were Wrong

  • Option A: The concrete operational stage occurs in school-aged children, typically from 7 to 11 years. Their thinking is more logical but still limited to concrete, tangible events.
  • Option B: The formal operational stage begins in adolescence, around age 11 or 12, and continues into adulthood. It involves the ability to think abstractly and hypothetically.
  • Option D: The sensorimotor stage covers the period from birth to approximately 2 years of age. During this time, infants learn about the world primarily through their senses and motor activities.

Related Visual

An infographic illustrating Piagets four stages of cognitive development. It should have four columns for Stage Name, Age Range, Key Characteristics, and Example Behavio...
Clinical Relevance
  • Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Piaget's stages of cognitive development as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
  • Understanding a child's cognitive stage is crucial for nurses to provide age-appropriate care, communication, and health education.
  • For a preschooler in the preoperational stage, a nurse should use simple, concrete language and incorporate play to explain procedures, as the child's thinking is egocentric and literal.
  • A nurse can use this knowledge to reassure parents about behaviors like egocentrism or magical thinking, explaining them as normal parts of development.
How to Approach the Question
  • First, identify the key demographic in the question: 'a preschooler above the age of 2-years'. This establishes the age range as approximately 2 to 6 years.
  • Next, recognize that the question is asking for a 'cognitive development stage', which points directly to Jean Piaget's theory.
  • Recall the four stages of Piaget's theory and their corresponding age ranges.
  • Match the age of the preschooler (2-6 years) to the correct stage.
  • Evaluate the options: Sensorimotor (0-2 years), Preoperational (2-7 years), Concrete Operational (7-11 years), and Formal Operational (11+ years).
  • Conclude that the Preoperational stage is the only one that fits the specified age group.
Concept Tested & Keywords
  • Concept Tested: Piaget's stages of cognitive development
  • Stem keywords: cognitive development, preschooler, 2-years
  • Lead-in keywords: pertaining to
  • Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

Q3vpa6BDAhLlhPNiRS0aO8

Reference Book

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Taylor p. 1053-1055

E6 Psychology Baron Misra 5e Part 1 p. 280-282

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 2425-2427

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