Formal Operations - The Adolescent-Adult

Period of Formal Operations (12 years and onwards)

Characteristic Behavior:

Thought becomes more abstract, incorporating the principles of formal logic. The ability to generate abstract propositions, multiple hypotheses and their possible outcomes is evident. Thinking becomes less tied to concrete reality.
Formal logical systems can be acquired. Can handle proportions, algebraic manipulation, other purely abstract processes. If a + b = x then a = x - b. If ma/ca = IQ = 1.00 then Ma = CA.
Prepositional logic, as-if and if-then steps.
NOT ALL ADULTS REACH FORMAL OPERATIONS!