During which stage of Piaget's theory do children primarily engage in egocentric speech?

During the Preoperational Stage of Piaget's theory, which typically occurs from ages 2 to 7, children engage in egocentric speech. At this stage, children are developing their language skills and begin to think symbolically, but their cognitive processes are still heavily influenced by their own perspectives. This leads to egocentric speech, where children talk about their own thoughts and feelings without considering the viewpoints of others.

For example, a child might describe their own experiences or emotions without recognizing that someone else might have a different experience or emotional response. Their thought processes are not yet sufficiently developed to fully understand or articulate the perspectives of others, which is a key characteristic of egocentricity during this developmental phase.

In contrast, the other stages do not align with egocentric speech. The Concrete Operational Stage involves more logical thinking and understanding of others' perspectives, while the Formal Operational Stage represents abstract reasoning capabilities. The Sensorimotor Stage primarily focuses on sensory experiences and motor activities, with little emphasis on speech development or communication in a social context.