An experimenter shows a child two clay "sausages" that are identical in size and shape and then allows the child to watch as she rolls one of the clay sausages into a longer, thinner sausage. The experimenter then asks the child whether the two clay sausages still contain the same amount of clay. A child in Piaget's preoperational stage would be MOST likely to say:
A) "Yes, they have the same amount of clay."
B) "No, the longer sausage has more clay than the shorter sausage."
C) "No, the shorter sausage has more clay than the longer sausage."
D) "Wait, I don't understand. How did you make that sausage bigger?"

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Children in the preoperational stage (ages 2-7) often struggle with the concept of conservation, which is the understanding that quantity remains the same despite changes in shape or appearance. They are likely to focus on the length of the sausage and conclude that the longer one has more clay.

An Experimenter Shows a Child Two Clay "Sausages" That Are