A common critique of Piagetian theory is that it which?

• A. Overestimates infants' abilities
• B. Does not account for variability in development
• C. Emphasizes social-cultural influences too much
• D. Models are universal across cultures

Answer: (B)

Piaget's stage theory describes cognitive development as a universal progression through a fixed sequence of stages. The main critique is that this view does not account for variability in development across individuals and cultures. In practice, children differ widely in when they reach particular abilities, and cultural, educational, and experiential factors can accelerate, delay, or alter how those abilities manifest. So while Piaget outlines broad, stage-like changes, the real world shows a lot of variation, which is why that particular critique is considered the best fit.