What is the main characteristic of Piaget’s "Concrete Operational" stage?

Piaget's "Concrete Operational" stage, which typically occurs between the ages of 7 and 11 years, is characterized primarily by logical thinking about concrete events and an understanding of concepts such as conservation. During this stage, children begin to think logically about tangible objects and situations rather than abstract concepts. This means they can classify objects, understand the concept of reversibility, and recognize that quantity does not change despite changes in shape or appearance, which exemplifies conservation.

Children in this stage can perform mental operations on these concrete objects, allowing them to solve problems in a more logical way. For example, they can understand that if you pour water from one glass into a differently shaped glass, the amount of water remains the same even if its appearance changes.

This ability marks a significant developmental leap from the previous stage, where children think more egocentrically and struggle with tasks requiring logical reasoning about physical properties. The other options, while related to different stages or concepts of child development, do not accurately describe the core capabilities exhibited during the Concrete Operational stage.