Acquiring Piaget’s Conservation Concept of Numbers, Lengths, and Liquids as Ordinary Play

Abstract

Piaget’s influential research on the conservation concept has a wide-reaching impact even in modern-day settings. This study examines Piaget’s concept from a perspective that is different from those in existing studies. It focuses on improving the relationship between toddlers and tasks for the acquisition of the conservation concepts of number, length, and liquids. Given that new investigative tasks may be needed to clarify the stage and factors of acquisition, this study examines the possibility of acquisition of the conservation concept by 3-year-olds, with an improved task that is integrated into ordinary conversation and play. The treatment variable was the Piaget task as part of ordinary conversation and play, and the A-B design was adopted because withdrawal is naturally difficult. Results demonstrated the possibility of 3-year-olds’ acquisition of Piaget’s concept by familiarizing the toddler with the task. Such intervention through the incorporation of Piaget tasks into ordinary conversation or play had clear positive effects, contrary to the results of previous studies that dismiss a 3-year-old’s ability to understand the conservation concept.