Children’s reasoning in ___________stage is limited with focus on one perceptual dimension of the problem.

Correct option is B

The correct answer is (b) Pre-operational. During the pre-operational stage (approximately ages 2-7), children's reasoning is intuitive and egocentric, and they often focus on one perceptual dimension of a problem at a time. They lack the ability to perform operations, which are organized, formal, logical mental processes.

Information Booster:

1. Centration in the pre-operational stage leads to errors in reasoning, especially in multi-dimensional tasks.
2. Children in this stage exhibit egocentrism and struggle with perspective-taking.
3. They cannot yet perform conservation tasks, which require understanding that properties remain constant despite changes in form.
4. This stage focuses heavily on symbolic thought, such as using words and images to represent objects.
5. The transition to the concrete operational stage brings the development of logical thinking and reduced centration.
6. The pre-operational stage emphasizes rapid growth in language and imagination.

Additional Knowledge:

• (a) Formal conventional:
  This term is not part of Piaget’s framework and seems to combine elements of formal operational reasoning with Kohlberg’s moral development stages. It does not describe a developmental stage in reasoning.
• (c) Concrete operational:
  Spanning ages 7–11, this stage involves the development of logical thinking about concrete objects and situations. Children overcome centration and can solve conservation tasks, but their reasoning remains tied to tangible, observable phenomena.
• (d) Formal operational:
  Beginning around age 11, this stage introduces abstract and hypothetical reasoning. Adolescents can think about possibilities, formulate hypotheses, and systematically test ideas, marking the pinnacle of Piaget’s cognitive development stages.