Pre-Operational - GCSE Psychology Definition

In GCSE Psychology, "Pre-Operational" refers to a stage in Piaget's theory of cognitive development. This stage occurs from about 2 to 7 years of age. During this time, children begin to engage in symbolic play and learn to manipulate symbols, but they don't yet understand concrete logic. They are also egocentric, meaning they find it hard to see things from perspectives other than their own. Children in the pre-operational stage develop language skills and start to use their imagination. However, they still struggle with understanding concepts like time, quantity, and conservation, meaning they might not understand that certain properties of objects, like volume and mass, remain the same even when their appearances change.