When 17-year-old Paul was discussing his future with his father, Paul said, "Let's just suppose for the sake of discussion that I don't attend college right away. What if I volunteered overseas instead?" Paul's ability to think in these terms is characteristic of:
A) sensorimotor thought
B) preoperational thought
C) formal operational thought
D) concrete operational thought

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The formal operational stage involves the ability to consider what could be; to think abstractly and to formulate, test, and evaluate hypotheses. In this example, Paul considers an abstract, hypothetical possibility for his future.

When 17-Year-Old Paul Was Discussing His Future with His Father