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The sensorimotor stage is the first of the four stages in Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. It extends from birth to approximately 2 years, and is a period of rapid cognitive growth.
During this phase, infants and toddlers primarily learn through sensory experiences and manipulating objects. Key achievements include understanding object permanence (recognizing that objects continue to exist even when not seen) and developing a sense of self as distinct from the world around them.
During this period, infants develop an understanding of the world through coordinating sensory experiences (seeing, hearing) with motor actions (reaching, touching).
The main development during the sensorimotor stage is the understanding that objects exist and events occur in the world independently of one’s own actions (“the object concept”, or “object permanence“).
For example, if you place a toy under a blanket, the child who has achieved object permanence knows it is there and can actively seek it. At the beginning of this stage, the child behaves as if the toy had simply disappeared.
The attainment of object permanence generally signals the transition to the next stage of development (preoperational).
Developmental Milestones
1. Object Permanence
- What It Means: The realization that objects continue to exist even when they’re out of sight. Significance:
- When It Happens: This understanding typically begins to emerge around 4 to 7 months of age. By 8 months, many babies begin to show clearer signs of this realization, though a complete understanding usually solidifies by 18-24 months.
- Why It’s Important: It’s the starting point for memory skills and realizing that things around them are constant.
- Signs to Watch For: Your baby enjoys games like peek-a-boo and will look for toys you’ve hidden, showing they know it’s still there.
2. Cause and Effect
- What It Means: Recognizing that certain actions produce specific results.
- When It Happens: Babies start showing initial signs of grasping cause and effect between 4 to 8 months. For example, they might realize that if they shake a rattle, it will make noise. This understanding deepens and becomes more sophisticated throughout the sensorimotor stage and beyond.
- Why It’s Important: This helps your baby start thinking logically and understand how things work.
- Signs to Watch For: You might see your baby dropping toys from their high-chair repeatedly, not just for fun, but also to see what happens and to get your attention.
3. The Start of Pretend Play
- What It Means: Using one object to stand in for another (like pretending a banana is a phone), showcasing the onset of imaginative play.
- When It Happens: Pretend or symbolic play usually begins around 18 months but becomes more pronounced and complex by the age of 2 years. This is when children start using objects to represent something else, like pretending a banana is a phone or a box is a car.
- Why It’s Important: This imaginative play shows they’re starting to think in creative ways and is a foundation for language skills.
- Signs to Watch For: Watch for moments when your child uses one object to represent another, like using a bowl as a hat or a box as a car.
Sub-Stages: Development & Examples
The sensorimotor stage of development can be broken down into six additional sub-stages including simple reflexes, primary circular reactions, secondary circular reactions, coordination of reactions, tertiary circular reactions, and early symbolic thought.
1. Reflex Acts
The first substage (first month of life) is the stage of reflex acts. The neonate responds to external stimulation with innate reflex actions.
During this period, the infant, or neonate, primarily interacts with the world through inborn reflexes rather than deliberate behaviors.
A prominent example is the rooting reflex: when a baby’s cheek or mouth is gently touched, the infant will reflexively turn their head toward the source and begin to suck. This reflex aids in breastfeeding and showcases the neonate’s innate response mechanisms during this early stage of development.
2. Primary Circular Reactions
Primary Circular Reactions refer to a developmental phase in Piaget’s sensorimotor stage, specifically between 1 to 4 months of age. The baby will repeat pleasurable actions centered on its own body.
In this phase, infants begin to coordinate sensations and two types of schema (habit and circular reactions). The term “circular” denotes the repeated nature of an action that a baby finds pleasurable or interesting.
The actions in primary circular reactions are centered on the baby’s own body, rather than the external environment.
For instance, a baby might accidentally suck their thumb and find it pleasurable, leading them to engage in thumb-sucking repeatedly.
These actions are “primary” because they originate from the baby’s own body movements and are not yet focused on the outside world.
These are not reflex actions. They are done intentionally – for the sake of the pleasurable stimulation produced.
3. Secondary Circular Reactions
Secondary circular reactions refer to a phase in Piaget’s sensorimotor stage, typically evident between 4 to 8 months of age.
In this phase, infants become more focused on the external world and begin to repeat actions that produce enjoyable or interesting results in their environment.
Unlike Primary Circular Reactions, which are centered on the infant’s own body, secondary circular reactions involve the repetition of actions that involve external objects.
For example, a baby might accidentally shake a rattle and, finding the sound interesting, deliberately shake it again to reproduce the sound.
This phase represents the child’s growing awareness and interaction with the environment, as they begin to understand cause-and-effect relationships with objects around them.
4. Co-ordinating Secondary Schemes
Coordinating secondary schemes is a phase in Piaget’s sensorimotor stage, typically occurring between 8 to 12 months of age.
In this stage, infants begin to combine and coordinate separate actions into more complex sequences, marking the start of intentional and goal-directed behavior.
Rather than just repeating individual actions involving external objects (as seen in secondary circular reactions), in this phase, children show the ability to carry out actions with a specific goal in mind.
For instance, a baby might push one toy out of the way to reach another toy behind it, demonstrating an understanding of spatial relationships and object permanence.
For example, the infant will not just shake the rattle, but will reach out and knock to one side an object that stands in the way of it getting hold of the rattle.
It’s a pivotal stage as children start to combine previously learned behaviors, anticipate outcomes, and purposefully engage with their environment to achieve desired results.
5. Tertiary Circular Reactions
Fifth comes the substage of tertiary circular reactions. During this substage, infants engage in experimental interactions with their environment through trial-and-error behaviors.
Unlike previous secondary circular reactions, where actions were often repetitive, in tertiary circular reactions, children purposefully modify their actions to see the outcomes, showing a form of early problem-solving.
An example might be a child dropping a toy at different angles or with different forces to see how it reacts.
6. Symbolic Thought
Finally, in substage six, there is the beginning of Piaget’s Preoperational Stage (Ages 2-7)symbolic thought. This is transitional to the pre-operational stage of cognitive development. Babies can now form mental representations of objects.
Symbolic thought emerges in the latter part of the sensorimotor stage, around 18-24 months. It signifies a child’s ability to form mental representations of objects or events that aren’t currently present.
This development enables activities like pretend play and the use of symbols, indicating an understanding that objects continue to exist even when out of sight, a concept known as object permanence.
Symbolic thought marks a cognitive leap, setting the foundation for later stages of conceptual and abstract thinking.
What To Look Out For In Your Child
Navigating the early years of parenthood, you’ll witness your child’s unfolding cognitive milestones, offering subtle clues about their understanding of the world.
For instance, a clear indicator of them grasping object permanence is when they remain calm as you exit the room, comprehending that you haven’t vanished entirely.
This understanding can make transitions smoother, allowing them to feel comfortable with familiar adults, knowing that you’ll return.
Moreover, as your child progresses through the sensorimotor stage, their budding comprehension of cause and effect becomes evident.
Initially, this might manifest as deliberately spilling food or making water splashes in the bath, driven by curiosity. As this understanding deepens, they’ll engage more deliberately with toys and objects.
For example, they’ll quickly learn which button on their favorite toy elicits a sound and repeatedly press it, showcasing their grasp of cause and effect.
How To Help Your Child During This Stage
Supporting your child during the sensorimotor stage can be both fun and insightful. To foster their grasp of object permanence, engage them in a simple game of hide and seek.
This doesn’t require a large space; even hiding behind your hands or using toys like puppets and teddies can work wonders. Observe their reactions; as they mature in their understanding, their excitement, evident through giggles and animated movements, will increase.
As they navigate through this developmental stage, providing them with materials for open-ended play encourages self-led discovery. Playdough, paints, and even daily objects can captivate their curiosity.
Don’t be surprised if they start experimenting with their food, blending textures to see how they change. This exploration is a testament to their burgeoning cognitive growth.
Introducing materials that highlight cause and effect can be particularly beneficial. Water play stands out as a favorite.
Whether it’s contrasting toys in the bathtub or a basin filled with water and sponges, such activities entertain and enhance their understanding of how their actions influence outcomes.
References
Piaget, J. (1952). The origins of intelligence in children. New York: International Universities
Press.
Piaget, J. (1954). The construction of reality in the child. New York: Basic Books.
Piaget, J. (1964). Part I: Cognitive development in children: Piaget development and learning. Journal of research in science teaching, 2(3), 176-186.
