Development of Formal-logical and Dialectical Thinking in Children of 5-8 Years Old

Abstract

This article presents the longitudinal study results dedicated to evaluation of formal-logical and dialectical thinking development in senior preschool children (5—6 and then 6—7 years old) as well as in elementary school children (7—8 years old). The formal—logical thinking study included 58 children. We used Piaget tests: “Probability”, “Scales” and “Cylinder”. The dialectical thinking study included 92 children. We evaluated three techniques: “Drawing an unusual tree”, “What can be both at the same time?” and “Cycles”. Data of 52 children who participated in the study at the age of 5—6 years old and 7—8 years old were used for the correlation analysis. The research results showed that the preschool age is sensitive for the development of formal operations as well as dialectical thought activities. A positive correlation was identified between the ability of 5—6 and 7—8 years old children to coordinate two differently directed movements to create a holistic image and overcome contradictions. It was also found that during the transition to learning at school, indicators for solving a creative problem (which involved the independent construction of opposite objects) decreased