Which of the following statements about young children and their perception of death is true?

• A. Young children often view death as temporary or reversible.
• B. Young children are usually not affected emotionally by the death of others.
• C. Young children fully understand the biological finality of death.
• D. Young children typically believe that only elderly people can die.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the developmental stage of young children in relation to their cognitive and emotional grasp of death. Young children, typically in the preschool age range, are in the preoperational stage according to Piaget's theory, which affects how they perceive abstract concepts like death.
2. Step 2: Recognize that young children often have a limited and non-final understanding of death. They may see death as temporary or reversible, similar to what they observe in cartoons or stories where characters come back to life.
3. Step 3: Consider the emotional impact of death on young children. Contrary to the statement that they are not affected emotionally, young children can experience strong emotions such as sadness or confusion when someone dies, even if they do not fully understand death's permanence.
4. Step 4: Evaluate the biological understanding of death in young children. They generally do not grasp the finality and universality of death, meaning they do not fully understand that death is permanent and happens to all living beings.
5. Step 5: Assess common misconceptions young children might have, such as believing that only elderly people can die, which reflects their limited experience and understanding of death across all ages.