What is Egocentrism?
2019
What is Egocentrism?
- A.
Inability of a child to see more than one aspect of a situation
- B.
Relating objects only with personal traits or activities
- C.
Ability to think through symbols and signs
- D.
Believing that their own way of thinking is the only correct way of thinking
Attempted by 56 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Definition: Egocentrism is the tendency in young children to assume that their own viewpoint, feelings, and knowledge are the same as everyone else’s; they have difficulty taking another person’s perspective. Stage: Common in Piaget’s preoperational stage (approximately ages 2–7).
Example: In the 'three mountains' task a child may assume everyone sees the same view they see, showing difficulty with perspective taking.
Contrast: Different from centration (focusing on one feature) and animism (attributing human qualities to objects).
Developmental note: Egocentrism is a normal stage and typically decreases as children develop theory of mind and perspective-taking skills.