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Sensorimotor stage
The infant knows the world through their movements and sensations.
Children learn about the world through basic actions such as sucking, grasping, looking, and listening.
Infants learn that things continue to exist even though they cannot be seen (object permanence).
They are separate beings from the people and objects around them.
They realize that their actions can cause things to happen in the world around them. -
Preoperational stage
Children begin to think symbolically and learn to use words and pictures to represent objects.
Children at this stage tend to be egocentric and struggle to see things from the perspective of others.
While they are getting better with language and thinking, they still tend to think about things in very concrete terms. -
Concrete operational stage
During this stage, children begin to thinking logically about concrete events.
They begin to understand the concept of conservation; that the amount of liquid in a short, wide cup is equal to that in a tall, skinny glass, for example.
Their thinking becomes more logical and organized, but still very concrete.
Children begin using inductive logic, or reasoning from specific information to a general principle. -
Formal operational stage
At this stage, the adolescent or young adult begins to think abstractly and reason about hypothetical problems.
Abstract thought emerges.
Teens begin to think more about moral, philosophical, ethical, social, and political issues that require theoretical and abstract reasoning.
Begin to use deductive logic, or reasoning from a general principle to specific information.
