Which cognitive ability develops during the concrete operational stage?

During the concrete operational stage, which typically occurs between the ages of 7 and 11, children's cognitive abilities shift significantly. They begin to think logically about concrete events and can perform operations that involve tangible objects or events. This stage, as described by Piaget, allows children to understand concepts such as conservation, classification, and seriation, which are crucial for logical thinking in practical contexts.

For instance, when presented with different amounts of liquid in various shaped containers, a child in the concrete operational stage will understand that the volume remains the same despite the changes in container shape, illustrating their ability to reason logically about concrete situations. This development is a critical transition from the preoperational stage, where thinking is more centered around intuition and perception rather than logical reasoning.