A teenager proposes that if humans colonise Mars, new legislation would be…
2026
A teenager proposes that if humans colonise Mars, new legislation would be needed to protect its environment. Which cognitive ability does this statement most accurately reflect?
Answer: B. Abstract and hypothetical reasoning — CONCEPTIn Piaget's theory, the formal operational stage enables a person to think beyond directly observable objects and events. Its central cognitive ability…
- A.
Egocentric speech
- B.
Abstract and hypothetical reasoning
- C.
Object permanence
- D.
Preoperational symbolic function
Attempted by 16 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
CONCEPT
In Piaget's theory, the formal operational stage enables a person to think beyond directly observable objects and events.
Its central cognitive ability is abstract and hypothetical reasoning: forming a possible situation, inferring its consequences, and considering principles that are not tied to the present.
APPLICATION
The teenager imagines a future condition—human settlement on Mars—that does not currently exist.
The teenager then infers a general consequence of that imagined condition: environmental protection would require new legislation.
CONTRAST
Egocentric speech concerns self-directed speech in early childhood, not reasoning from a future hypothetical condition.
Object permanence concerns knowing that unseen objects still exist, not drawing policy implications from an imagined event.
Preoperational symbolic function concerns representing objects through words, images, and pretend play, rather than systematically examining a hypothetical proposition.
RESULT
Therefore, the statement demonstrates abstract and hypothetical reasoning.