According to Piaget, which of the following is characteristic of a child in the preoperational stage?

A. present; present: Both crisis (exploration) and commitment present describes identity achievement, not diffusion.
B. absent; absent: Identity diffusion is characterized by a lack of both exploration/crisis and commitment — crisis absent; commitment absent.
C. absent; present: Absence of crisis with presence of commitment describes identity foreclosure (commitment without exploration).
D. present; absent: Presence of crisis/exploration with absence of commitment describes identity moratorium (exploration without having committed).

A. authoritarian: Authoritarian parents impose many rules and expect obedience with little warmth or encouragement of independence; this does not match “placing limits but encouraging independence.”
B. indulgent: Indulgent (permissive) parents are high in warmth/involvement but place few limits or demands, so they do not fit the description of setting limits.
C. neglectful: Neglectful (uninvolved) parents provide few demands and low involvement; they do not actively encourage the child’s independence.
D. authoritative: Authoritative parents combine clear, reasonable limits with warmth and encouragement of autonomy and independence; this matches the description.