What cognitive ability is developed in Piaget's Formal Operational Stage?

In Piaget's Formal Operational Stage, which typically begins around the age of 12, individuals develop the cognitive ability to think abstractly and logically. This stage marks a significant advancement from earlier stages, where thinking is more concrete and tied to actual experiences. In this stage, people can solve complex problems, use deduction and hypothesis testing, and engage in systematic planning.

The ability to think abstractly allows for considering hypothetical situations and generating ideas that are not immediate or tangible. This cognitive leap enables individuals to perform advanced reasoning, to understand concepts such as justice, freedom, and love, and to explore possibilities beyond the here and now. It is a fundamental aspect of critical thinking, problem-solving, and scientific reasoning, which are all hallmarks of maturity in cognitive development.

In contrast, the other options reflect earlier stages of cognitive development. Counting and basic arithmetic would fall under more elementary skills typically developed during the concrete operational stage. Memory recall of facts relates more to knowledge acquisition and less to advanced reasoning. Following simple instructions is indicative of basic cognitive processing seen in much younger children, rather than the abstract reasoning capabilities present in the formal operational stage.