According to Piaget's Cognitive Developmental Theory, the morality of cooperation is most closely associated with which cognitive stage?

• A. Sensorimotor stage
• B. Preoperational stage
• C. Formal operational stage
• D. Concrete operational stage

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand Piaget's stages of cognitive development: Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Concrete Operational, and Formal Operational.
2. Recall that the Sensorimotor stage (birth to ~2 years) involves learning through sensory experiences and motor actions, with no developed moral reasoning.
3. Recognize that the Preoperational stage (approximately 2 to 7 years) is characterized by symbolic thinking but limited understanding of others' perspectives, so moral reasoning is still egocentric.
4. Identify that the Concrete Operational stage (approximately 7 to 11 years) is when children begin to think logically about concrete events and understand rules, fairness, and cooperation, which relates to the morality of cooperation.
5. Note that the Formal Operational stage (from about 12 years onward) involves abstract and hypothetical thinking, but the foundational understanding of cooperative morality emerges earlier, during the Concrete Operational stage.