Same amount, different arrangement
Explore what remains constant when an arrangement changes.
The picture in words
- Quantity
- Each row contains six tokens.
- Arrangement
- The spacing between tokens changes.
- Conservation
- The number remains the same.
Reading the illustration
Count before and after the rearrangement. Conservation was a central task in Piaget’s study of children’s thinking.
Try a question
How can you check the quantity after the row is spread out?
Show the explanation
Count the tokens or match them one by one with the other row. Rearranging them preserves the count.
Read the sources
- Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020). Psychology 2e. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/9-2-lifespan-theoriesSelected rendered passage on conservation in Piaget’s approach, reviewed in the topic-selection research.