Which phase of Piaget's theory involves egocentrism and imaginative play?

The correct response highlights the Preoperational phase of Piaget's theory of cognitive development, which typically spans from ages 2 to 7. During this stage, children engage in imaginative play, demonstrating their ability to create scenarios and use symbolic thinking. For example, a child may pretend that a block is a car or that a doll is their baby. This imaginative play reflects their developing cognitive abilities and the use of symbols to represent real objects.

Additionally, egocentrism is a prominent characteristic of the Preoperational phase. Children in this stage often struggle to see things from perspectives other than their own, believing that others share their viewpoints and feelings. For instance, a child might cover their eyes and believe that if they can't see someone, that person can't see them either. This shows their limited ability to understand that others can have different perspectives.

The other phases described do not share these specific characteristics. The Sensorimotor phase focuses on interaction with the world through sensory experiences and motor actions, Concrete Operations is centered around logical thinking about concrete events, and Formal Operations involves abstract reasoning and hypothetical thinking. Therefore, the focus on egocentrism and imaginative play unmistakably identifies the Preoperational phase as the correct answer.