How many stages of cognitive development did Piaget propose?

Jean Piaget, a prominent figure in developmental psychology, proposed that cognitive development occurs in four distinct stages. These stages represent a progression in children’s ability to think and understand their world, and they are defined as follows:

1. The Sensorimotor Stage (birth to about 2 years): In this stage, infants learn through their senses and actions. They develop object permanence, realizing that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen.

2. The Preoperational Stage (approximately 2 to 7 years): During this period, children begin to use language and think symbolically, but their thought processes are not yet logical. They are egocentric, meaning they have difficulty seeing things from perspectives other than their own.

3. The Concrete Operational Stage (approximately 7 to 11 years): Children start to think logically about concrete events. They can perform operations and understand the concepts of conservation and reversibility.

4. The Formal Operational Stage (approximately 12 years and up): In this final stage, individuals develop the ability to think about abstract concepts. Logical reasoning becomes more sophisticated, and individuals can plan systematically and think about hypothetical situations.

Understanding these four stages is critical for recognizing how children acquire knowledge and how educators can tailor their teaching