What is the term for focusing on one object at the expense of others, commonly found in preoperational children?

What is the term for focusing on one object at the expense of others, commonly found in preoperational children?

• A. Centration
• B. Concentration
• C. Attention
• D. Focus

Answer: (A)

Centration is the term that describes the cognitive tendency observed in preoperational children, where they concentrate on one aspect of a situation while neglecting other relevant features. This is a characteristic of cognitive development in children aged 2 to 7, as proposed by Jean Piaget. For example, a child might focus solely on the height of a glass of liquid and overlook its width when determining which glass holds more liquid. This focus on a single dimension reflects a lack of understanding of conservation, which is the concept that certain properties of objects, like volume, remain constant despite changes in form or appearance. This cognitive limitation differentiates preoperational thinkers from those in later stages of development, such as concrete operational thinkers, who can consider multiple dimensions and understand relationships between them. Understanding centration helps educators tailor instructional strategies to meet the developmental needs of young learners.

Centration is the term that describes the cognitive tendency observed in preoperational children, where they concentrate on one aspect of a situation while neglecting other relevant features. This is a characteristic of cognitive development in children aged 2 to 7, as proposed by Jean Piaget.

For example, a child might focus solely on the height of a glass of liquid and overlook its width when determining which glass holds more liquid. This focus on a single dimension reflects a lack of understanding of conservation, which is the concept that certain properties of objects, like volume, remain constant despite changes in form or appearance.

This cognitive limitation differentiates preoperational thinkers from those in later stages of development, such as concrete operational thinkers, who can consider multiple dimensions and understand relationships between them. Understanding centration helps educators tailor instructional strategies to meet the developmental needs of young learners.