Which of the following is a developmental issue children face during the formal operational stage according to Piaget's Cognitive Developmental Theory?

• A. Struggling with abstract reasoning and hypothetical thinking
• B. Difficulty with object permanence
• C. Egocentrism in perspective-taking
• D. Inability to perform conservation tasks

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall that Piaget's Cognitive Developmental Theory outlines four main stages: Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Concrete Operational, and Formal Operational.
2. Identify the key characteristics of the Formal Operational stage, which typically begins around age 12 and involves the development of abstract reasoning and hypothetical thinking.
3. Understand that during the Formal Operational stage, children start to think logically about abstract concepts and can engage in hypothetical-deductive reasoning.
4. Recognize that earlier stages have different developmental challenges: for example, difficulty with object permanence is associated with the Sensorimotor stage, egocentrism with the Preoperational stage, and conservation tasks with the Concrete Operational stage.
5. Therefore, the developmental issue relevant to the Formal Operational stage is struggling with abstract reasoning and hypothetical thinking, as this is the new cognitive ability being developed and refined during this stage.