Egocentric thinking is to the preoperational stage as principled reasoning is to the ?

Egocentric thinking is a way of thinking that is common in young children during the preoperational stage of cognitive development, where they have difficulty seeing things from perspectives other than their own. In contrast, principled reasoning is a more advanced way of thinking that develops later, typically in the formal operational stage, where individuals can think abstractly and apply moral principles consistently. For example, a child in the preoperational stage might think that everyone likes the same toy they do, while an older child using principled reasoning can understand and respect that different people have different preferences. This shift from egocentric thinking to principled reasoning shows how our ability to understand others and think about complex ideas grows as we mature. Overall, it highlights the progression from a self-centered viewpoint to a more empathetic and rational approach to understanding the world.