Etymology: Gk, synkretismos, combined beliefs; AS, thencan, to think a stage in the development of the cognitive thought processes

of the child durin g which thought is based purely on what is perceived and experienced. The child is incapable of reasoning beyond the observable or of making deductions or gener alizations. Through imaginative play, questioning, interaction with others, and the increasing use of language and symbols to represent objects, the child begin s to learn to make associations between ideas and to elaborate concepts. In Piag et's classification, this stage occurs between 2 and 7 years of age and is prece ded by the sensorimotor stage of development, when the child progresses from ref lex activity to repetitive and imitative behavior. Compare abstract thinking, co ncrete thinking. syncresis, n. o etap? n dezvoltarea procesului de cognitie al copilului n perioada in care gndire a se bazeaz? exclusiv pe experien?? si cu ajorul perceptiei. Copilul este incapa bil de motivare dincolo de ceea ce oserva, deduce sau generalizeaza . Prin joc i maginativ, interogatoriu, interac?iunea cu ceilal?i, ?i cre?terea utiliz?rii de limbaj ?i simboluri pentru a reprezenta obiecte, copilul ncepe s? nve?e s? fac? as ocia?ii ntre idei precum ?i sa elaboreze concepte. n clasificarea lui Piaget, acea st? etap? are loc ntre 2 ?i 7 ani ?i este precedat? de stadiul senziomotor de dez voltare, atunci cnd copilul avanseaz? de la activitatea reflexa la comportamentul repetitiv ?i imitativ.