What principle is involved in conservation according to Piaget?

The principle of conservation, as identified by Piaget, refers to the understanding that certain properties of objects, such as mass, volume, and number, remain the same despite changes in the objects' appearance or arrangement. For instance, when water is poured from a short, wide glass into a tall, narrow glass, children who have grasped the concept of conservation understand that the amount of water is still the same, even though it looks different.

This concept is crucial in Piaget's theory of cognitive development, particularly during the concrete operational stage, where children begin to logically understand these properties. Recognizing that changing the shape or arrangement of an object does not alter its fundamental characteristics is a key milestone in cognitive growth.

The other options do not encapsulate the essence of conservation as effectively. The first option suggests a perception-based interpretation which does not emphasize the idea that physical attributes remain constant despite visual changes. The third option highlights emotional understanding rather than cognitive understanding, while the fourth option inaccurately associates language acquisition with the ability to understand conservation, whereas conservation is more fundamentally tied to cognitive development and reasoning skills rather than language proficiency.