Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development
Jean Piaget was a Swiss psychologist and genetic epistemologist.
He is most famously known for his theory of cognitive development that looked at how children develop intellectually throughout the course of childhood.
Stages of Cognitive Development
The theory identifies four stages:4
- The sensorimotor stage: The first stage of development lasts from birth to approximately age two. At this point in development, children know the world primarily through their senses and motor movements.
- The preoperational stage: The second stage of development lasts from the ages of two to seven and is characterized by the development of language and the emergence of symbolic play.
- The concrete operational stage: The third stage of cognitive development lasts from the age of seven to approximately age 11. At this point, logical thought emerges, but children still struggle with abstract and theoretical thinking.
- The formal operation stage: In the fourth and final stage of cognitive development, lasting from age 12 and into adulthood, children become much more adept at abstract thought and deductive reasoning.
