What are Piaget's stages of cognitive development?

• A. Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Concrete Operational, Formal Operational
• B. Trust, Autonomy, Initiative, Industry
• C. Sensorimotor, Concrete, Formal Operational, Preoperational
• D. Infancy, Childhood, Adolescence, Adulthood

Answer: (A)

The main idea is how children's thinking changes in distinct, qualitatively different stages. Piaget proposed four stages of cognitive development, each with its own way of understanding the world and solving problems, building in a clear sequence.

The correct sequence lists those four stages as sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational. In the sensorimotor stage (birth to about age 2), learning happens through direct sensation and actions, and object permanence develops—the understanding that things still exist even when not seen. In the preoperational stage (about ages 2 to 7), children use language and symbols but tend to think in ways that are egocentric and lack logical operations. In the concrete operational stage (roughly ages 7 to 11), children begin to think logically about concrete objects, grasp conservation and classification, and understand reversibility. In the formal operational stage (roughly age 12 through adulthood), thinking becomes abstract and hypothetical, with systematic planning and problem-solving.

This sequence best captures Piaget’s view of cognitive development. The other choices mix in ideas from different theories (for example, psychosocial stages) or use labels and orders that don’t align with Piaget’s four stages.