Formal operations include mental tasks involving abstract thinking and coordination of a number of variables. At this time, the child’s focus of thinking can shift from what is to what might be. He or she shows an ability to think abstractly, systematics, and scientifically. They use hypothetico-deductive reasoning. Hypothetico-deductive reasoning is a formal operations problem-solving strategy in which an individual begins by identifying all the factors that might affect a problem and then deduces and systemically evaluates specific solutions. Another formal operation developed at this time is propositional thought (Sugarman 1987). The child is able to think about all possible outcomes, interpret particular outcomes, and interpret particular events in terms of their relation to hypothetical events. They show an ability to understand abstract concepts such as conservation of motion and chemical interactions (Miller 2011). The child also shows the use of inductive reasoning, or using specific observations to identify general principles (Sugarman 1987). For example, the meteorologist observes changes in the weather and attempts to identify general principles about weather patterns. Formal-operation thinkers can form hypotheses, set up experiments to test them, and isolate or control variables in order to complete a valid test of the
Formal operations include mental tasks involving abstract thinking and coordination of a number of variables. At this time, the child’s focus of thinking can shift from what is to what might be. He or she shows an ability to think abstractly, systematics, and scientifically. They use hypothetico-deductive reasoning. Hypothetico-deductive reasoning is a formal operations problem-solving strategy in which an individual begins by identifying all the factors that might affect a problem and then deduces and systemically evaluates specific solutions. Another formal operation developed at this time is propositional thought (Sugarman 1987). The child is able to think about all possible outcomes, interpret particular outcomes, and interpret particular events in terms of their relation to hypothetical events. They show an ability to understand abstract concepts such as conservation of motion and chemical interactions (Miller 2011). The child also shows the use of inductive reasoning, or using specific observations to identify general principles (Sugarman 1987). For example, the meteorologist observes changes in the weather and attempts to identify general principles about weather patterns. Formal-operation thinkers can form hypotheses, set up experiments to test them, and isolate or control variables in order to complete a valid test of the