Formal operational thought

Piaget’s work led him to think that a new level of thinking emerged between 12 and 16. He called this formal operational thought and said it was characterised by more systematic problem solving. During this stage an adolescent shows the ability to consider reason and argument in order to critically analyse different situations such as planning their future career.

An adolescent may use this ability to reason and persuade, to overcome parental and teacher opposition to subject choice and career paths. They are able to think in more abstract terms.

So, when faced with working out the game of Battleships a younger child, in the concrete operational stage, might try lots of trial and error strategies, but an adolescent is more likely to try systematic and methodical ways of trying to win the game.