A typical child on Piaget's conservation tasks WOMAN: So I'm going to make two rows of quarters. OK, does this row have more quarters? Does this row have more quarters? Or are they the same? CHILD: The same. WOMAN: The same? OK, now, watch. Now, does this row have more quarters? Does this row have more quarters? Or are they the same? CHILD: This one has more quarters. WOMAN: That one has more quarters? CHILD: Yeah. WOMAN: Why does that one have more quarters? CHILD: Because it's stretched out. WOMAN: Because it's stretched out? CHILD: Yes. WOMAN: OK, so how many are in this row? CHILD: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. WOMAN: OK, how many are in this row? CHILD: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. WOMAN: So are there more in this row, this row, or are they the same? CHILD: The same. WOMAN: The same? CHILD: Yeah. WOMAN: OK, so we have two sticks. Is this stick longer? Is this stick longer? Or are they the same? CHILD: The same. WOMAN: The same? What about now? Is this stick longer? Is this stick longer? Or are they the same? CHILD: That stick is longer. WOMAN: This stick is longer? CHILD: Yeah. WOMAN: Can you tell me why? CHILD: Because you moved it over. WOMAN: So now it's longer? CHILD: Yeah. WOMAN: OK. Tell me, I'm going to pour blue water into each of these cups. And you're going to have to tell me when they have the same amount, OK? OK, tell me when this one is the same. CHILD: The same. WOMAN: The same? Those two are the same now? CHILD: Yeah. WOMAN: OK. Are they the same? Good? CHILD: They're right at the same. WOMAN: Good. OK, now watch this. We're going to take the blue water from this glass. And we're going For pour it into this glass. Now, does this glass have more water? Does this glass have more water? Or are they the same? CHILD: That has more water. WOMAN: This one has more water? CHILD: Yeah. WOMAN: Can you tell me why? CHILD: Because that one is higher than that. WOMAN: That one's higher than that one, right. WOMAN: Can you tell me, does this ball have more Play-Doh? Does this ball have more Play-Doh? Or are they the same? CHILD: That ball has more Play-Doh. WOMAN: That one has more? CHILD: Yeah. WOMAN: Let's make try to make them the same. Let me make them into two of the same size. What about-- what about now? CHILD: They're the same. WOMAN: They're the same now? WOMAN: OK, now watch. Now, does this one have more Play-Doh? Does this one have more Play-Doh? Or are they the same? CHILD: That one has more Play-Doh. WOMAN: That one has more Play-Doh? Can you tell me why? CHILD: You smushed that one. WOMAN: Because that one is smushed. How about-- how about now? Does this one have more Play-Doh? Does this one have more Play-Doh? Or are they the same? CHILD: The same. WOMAN: Now, they're the same? Why are they the same? CHILD: You rolled that one back up. WOMAN: OK, great. OK, did we share the graham crackers fair? Is this fair? CHILD: Yes. WOMAN: Yes? Can you tell me why it's fair? CHILD: You have more than I do. WOMAN: I have one? CHILD: You have two and I have one. WOMAN: Is that fair? CHILD: No. WOMAN: No? How about now? CHILD: Now, that's fair. WOMAN: That's fair? Why is that fair? CHILD: You have two. And I have two. WOMAN: Yeah.