Aleksandra Bosnjak
AP Psychology
Mrs. Hanks
Developmental Essay
DRACULA
We all have to grow up at one point. According to Piaget there are four stages that human
being goes through. First being the Sensorimotor Stage. Second, the Preoperational Stage. Third,
the Concrete Operational Stage. Lastly, the Formal Operational Stage. Piaget said that some
people never even reach the Formal Operational Stage.
The Sensorimotor Stage occurs from birth to about 2 years of age. During this stage
babies can only know the world through their sensory impressions. For example; looking,
touching, mouthing, and grasping. An experience with Dracula would frighten the child very
much. Although they may not recognize what it is they could see with their eyes that it was
someone not normal, nor welcome.
At the Preoperational Stage a child will learn to use language. However, they cannot yet
comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic. This stage takes place about 2 to 7 years of
age. A child at this age would be frightened of Dracula too. Instead of just crying, they would be
able to call out for help. They could even try to fight back because their brain is becoming more
mentally developed.
The Concrete Operational Stage is the stage of cognitive development. During this stage
kids gain the mental operations that enable them to do simple logic and gain conservation. This
stage takes place from about 7 years of age to 11 years of age. At this stage a child could be
scared of Dracula but would recognize that it is a imaginative figure that in reality can’t do them
harm. At this stage you can no longer fool kids the way you used to because they can logically
figure out what is going on.
The last stage is the Formal Operational Stage. This stage normally begins around the age
of 12. Each person is different some people reach this stage later in life where as some never do
at all. At this stage people begin to think logically about abstract concepts. They can think about
imaginary realities, symbols, solve hypothetical problems, and deduce consequences. It’s a very
complicated stage and thought process and some third-world countries just aren’t educated
enough to be able to reach this stage. A person at this stage would not have a fearful reaction to
Dracula at all. They would already know that it is a mythical creature and deduce that no harm
can come to them.
Each of Piaget’s stages is crucial in the mental development of a human being. The first
three stages happen around the same time for most people. However, the Formal Operational
Stage does not apply to everyone. Some people may not even reach this stage of deep and
intellectual thinking.