preoperationell

Preoperationell, often rendered in English as “preoperational,” refers to the second stage of cognitive development proposed by Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget. It follows the sensorimotor stage (birth to about two years) and precedes the concrete operational stage (approximately seven to eleven years). The preoperational period typically spans ages two to seven and is characterized by the emergence of symbolic thought, language, and imagination, yet it remains limited by egocentric reasoning and a lack of logical operations.

Key features of the preoperational stage include symbolic representation, whereby children can use words, images, and objects to stand for other items and concepts. This ability underlies pretend play and the development of early literacy. Children also begin to use intuitive classification, grouping objects based on perceptual similarity rather than logical criteria. However, their thinking is still dominated by perceptual cues, leading to errors such as decentration failure and difficulty understanding conservation—recognizing that quantity remains constant despite changes in shape or arrangement.

Egocentrism is pronounced; children often assume that others share their perspective and may struggle to adopt alternative viewpoints. Furthermore, animistic thinking attributes life-like qualities to inanimate objects, and magical reasoning attributes causal powers to wishes or thoughts.

Critics note that Piaget’s age ranges are approximate and that cultural, linguistic, and educational factors can influence the onset and duration of preoperational capacities. Subsequent research has refined the stage by identifying early forms of logical reasoning, such as proto-conservation, that appear before the classical concrete operational age. Nonetheless, the concept of the preoperational stage remains a foundational reference in developmental psychology, early childhood education, and related fields.