As a developmental psychologist, I specialize in the study of how children grow and develop cognitively, emotionally, and socially. One of the most influential theories in this field is Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development. Piaget, a Swiss psychologist, proposed that cognitive development in children occurs in a series of distinct stages, each characterized by qualitatively different ways of thinking and understanding the world.

Stage 1: Sensorimotor Stage
The first stage, known as the sensorimotor stage, spans from birth to approximately 18 to 24 months of age. During this period, infants learn about the world primarily through their senses and motor movements. They begin to understand the concept of object permanence, which is the realization that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen or touched.

Stage 2: Preoperational Stage
The second stage, the preoperational stage, lasts from about 2 to 7 years of age. Children in this stage start to use symbols and language to represent the world around them. However, their thinking is still largely egocentric, meaning they have difficulty understanding the perspectives of others. This stage is further divided into two sub-stages: the symbolic function (2-4 years) and the intuitive thought (4-7 years).

Stage 3: Concrete Operational Stage
The third stage is the concrete operational stage, which extends from approximately 7 to 11 years of age. Children in this stage develop the ability to think logically about concrete events or objects. They can perform operations mentally and understand conservation, which is the idea that the quantity or volume of a substance remains the same despite changes in its appearance.

Stage 4: Formal Operational Stage
The final stage, the formal operational stage, occurs from about 11 years of age into adulthood. Adolescents and adults in this stage can think abstractly and hypothetically, and they can consider multiple variables and possibilities. They are capable of deductive reasoning and can solve complex problems that are not tied to concrete situations.

Piaget's theory has been widely studied and has influenced educational practices, although it has also faced criticism and has been subject to refinement by subsequent researchers. Nonetheless, it remains a cornerstone in the field of cognitive development.

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Piaget's Stage Theory of Development. Piaget was among other things, a psychologist who was interested in cognitive development. After observation of many children, he posited that children progress through 4 stages and that they all do so in the same order. These four stages are described below.read more >>