Which of the following best describes the difference between a 10-month-old and a 5-year-old in forming concepts?

• A. A 10-month-old can form more complex and abstract concepts than a 5-year-old.
• B. Both a 10-month-old and a 5-year-old rely equally on language and abstract reasoning to form concepts.
• C. A 10-month-old primarily forms concepts based on perceptual features, while a 5-year-old can use abstract reasoning and language to categorize objects.
• D. A 5-year-old forms concepts only through sensory experience, while a 10-month-old uses logical reasoning.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of 'concept formation' in developmental psychology, which refers to how individuals categorize and make sense of objects, events, or ideas based on shared features or abstract principles.
2. Step 2: Recognize that infants around 10 months old primarily rely on perceptual features such as shape, color, and size to form concepts because their cognitive and language abilities are still developing.
3. Step 3: Note that by the age of 5 years, children have developed more advanced cognitive skills, including language and abstract reasoning, which allow them to form concepts not only based on perceptual features but also on more complex, abstract categories.
4. Step 4: Compare the options given by evaluating which statement accurately reflects the developmental progression from perceptual-based concept formation in infants to abstract and language-based concept formation in preschoolers.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the best description is that a 10-month-old primarily forms concepts based on perceptual features, while a 5-year-old can use abstract reasoning and language to categorize objects, reflecting the cognitive growth between these ages.