ASWB LCSW Social Work Clinical Practice Exam

What is a core aspect of cognitive development during the stage from 2 to 7 years?

1. Understanding cause and effect

2. Development of sensory skills

3. Expression of abstract ideas

4. Engagement in egocentric thinking

The correct answer is: Engagement in egocentric thinking

During the stage from 2 to 7 years, a core aspect of cognitive development is the engagement in egocentric thinking. At this age, children are often focused on their own perspectives and experiences, making it challenging for them to understand that others may have different viewpoints or feelings. This phase is characterized by a lack of awareness of the perspectives of others, which is a key characteristic of cognitive development according to Piaget’s theory of child development, particularly in the preoperational stage. While understanding cause and effect is an important developmental task, it tends to solidify more in later stages of cognitive development. Sensory skills are typically developed earlier, in infancy. The expression of abstract ideas emerges in later stages of cognitive growth, particularly during the concrete operational stage, where logical thinking begins to develop more fully. Hence, egocentric thinking accurately captures the predominant cognitive feature of the preoperational stage.