FTCE Professional Education Practice Exam

True or False: Before age 7, children typically have difficulty taking the perspective of others.

1. True

2. False

3. Only if not prompted

4. Depends on the environment

The correct answer is: True

The statement is true. Developmental psychology indicates that children under the age of 7 often struggle with perspective-taking, which is the ability to understand and consider another person's viewpoint or feelings. This ability typically begins to develop more significantly as children grow older, particularly during the preschool years and into early elementary school. Cognitive development theories, such as those proposed by Jean Piaget, suggest that young children are generally in the preoperational stage of development, which lasts from about 2 to 7 years of age. During this stage, children are characterized by egocentrism, meaning they have a limited ability to see things from perspectives other than their own. This egocentrism makes it challenging for them to empathize with others or recognize that different individuals may have different thoughts and feelings. As children progress beyond age 7, they typically enter the concrete operational stage, where perspective-taking skills continue to evolve. Experiences and social interactions also play crucial roles in enhancing this ability, but foundationally, the general tendency is that younger children face difficulties in this area.