In Piaget's concrete operation stage, children are capable of which of the following?

In Piaget's theory of cognitive development, the concrete operational stage occurs roughly between the ages of 7 and 11. During this stage, children develop the ability to think logically about concrete events and start performing mental operations. This means they can manipulate information in their minds and apply these operations to solve problems, understand the concept of conservation (the idea that quantity doesn't change despite changes in shape), and classify objects based on multiple criteria.

The ability to perform mental operations marks a significant cognitive advancement from the previous stage, where children primarily think in a very egocentric and intuitive manner. In concrete operations, reasoning becomes less tied to physical actions and begins to incorporate mental processes, allowing for more complex problem-solving skills that involve tangible, concrete materials or experiences.

This cognitive development lays the groundwork for more advanced thinking in the subsequent stage, known as formal operations, where abstract concepts are more readily understood. The capacity to perform mental operations is a defining characteristic of this stage and is crucial for successful learning and cognitive processing during childhood.