Piaget’s
4 stages of cognitive development
Cognitive development = changes over time in
how a person thinks

Piaget outlined 4 stages of cognitive development:
1)
Sensorimotor stage (from birth to age 2)
Preoperational stage (age 2 to 7)
Concrete operational stage (age 7 to 11)
Formal operational stage (age 12 to adolescence)
2)
3)
4)
Piaget’s
4 stages of cognitive development
#1 Sensorimotor stage (from birth to age 2)

During this period, children understand the world only
through sensory contact and immediate action because
they cannot engage in symbolic though or use language
Piaget’s
4 stages of cognitive development
#2 Preoperational stage (age 2 to 7)
In this stage, children begin to use words as mental
symbols and to form mental images.

◦
They are still limited in their ability to use logic to solve problems
or to realize that physical objects may change in shape or
appearance while still retaining their physical properties.
Piaget’s
4 stages of cognitive development
#3 Concrete operational stage (age 7 to 11)
During this stage, children think in terms of tangible
objects and actual events.

◦
They can draw conclusions about the likely physical consequences
of an action without always having to try it out.
Piaget’s
4 stages of cognitive development
#4 Formal operational stage (age 12 to adolescence)
Adolescents are able to engage in highly abstract thought and
understand places, things, and events they have never seen.

◦
They can think about the future and evaluate different options or
courses of action.