Yulya, age 12, regularly asks questions such as, "What if everyone just got along?" and "If I became a medical researcher, could I find a cure for cancer?" According to Jean Piaget's theory, these questions suggest that Yulya has acquired the ability to

• A. mentally reverse actions.
• B. think symbolically.
• C. think abstractly.
• D. consider all relevant features of an object.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the key aspect of Yulya's questions: they involve hypothetical scenarios and possibilities, which are not directly observable or concrete.
2. Recall Jean Piaget's stages of cognitive development, specifically focusing on the Formal Operational Stage, which begins around age 11.
3. Understand that during the Formal Operational Stage, individuals develop the ability to think abstractly, allowing them to consider hypothetical situations and use deductive reasoning.
4. Recognize that Yulya's questions demonstrate her ability to think beyond the concrete and tangible, engaging in abstract reasoning about complex and hypothetical issues.
5. Conclude that Yulya's cognitive development aligns with Piaget's description of abstract thinking, as she is exploring ideas that are not limited to her immediate experience or reality.