Which of the following statements is most accurate with regard to Piaget's Cognitive Developmental Theory?

• A. Children's thinking abilities are fully developed by the age of three.
• B. Children actively construct knowledge as they progress through a series of qualitatively different stages.
• C. Learning is primarily the result of reinforcement and punishment.
• D. Cognitive development is a continuous process without distinct stages.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the core idea of Piaget's Cognitive Developmental Theory, which emphasizes how children actively construct knowledge rather than passively receive it.
2. Step 2: Recognize that Piaget proposed cognitive development occurs through a series of distinct, qualitatively different stages, each characterized by unique ways of thinking.
3. Step 3: Note that Piaget's theory does not support the idea that children's thinking abilities are fully developed by age three; instead, development continues through multiple stages beyond early childhood.
4. Step 4: Differentiate Piaget's theory from behaviorist views, which focus on learning through reinforcement and punishment, as Piaget emphasizes internal cognitive processes.
5. Step 5: Understand that Piaget viewed cognitive development as stage-like (discontinuous), not as a smooth, continuous process.