Cognitive Development from Adolescence through Adulthood: Formal Operations

This study aimed to investigate the development of formal operations from adolescence through adulthood. The sample consisted of 345 participants in four age groups (15-18 years-old: n=108; 19-29 years-old: n=104; 30-45 years-old: n=44; 46 years-old and elder :n=51). All groups were selected using random sampling. The first group was selected from high schools and the other groups were selected based on municipal areas of Isfahan. The study design was causal-comparative. The participants completed the Logical Reasoning Test (LRT; Burney, 1974). The data were analyzed using analysis of variance and chi square methods. The results indicated that there were no significant group effects on LRT. The pairwise comparisons were significant between total scores of 15-18 years-old and 19-29 year-olds. The age groups didn’t have significant differences in terms of frequencies of individuals who were in the concrete, transitional, and formal operations stages. The developmental trend of formal operations remained constant after adolescence. The findings were discussed based on Piaget and Neo-Piagetian cognitive developmental theories.