Alya's grandfather has been battling cancer for several years and when he dies, she says, "My grandfather's soul will live on forever."

Assuming she is not simply repeating what she has heard others say, approximately how old would you expect Alya to be? How do you know this?

What will be an ideal response?

Answer: Based on the fact that she is referring to an abstract construct (a soul), she must be an adolescent who has reached the formal operational stage of development. Adolescents are also more likely to refer to religious beliefs than their younger counterparts.