Which sequence correctly lists Piaget's four stages of cognitive development in order?

Which sequence correctly lists Piaget's four stages of cognitive development in order?

• A. Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Concrete Operational, Formal Operational
• B. Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Formal Operational, Concrete Operational
• C. Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Concrete Operational, Formal Operational
• D. Preoperational, Sensorimotor, Concrete Operational, Formal Operational

Answer: (C)

This sequence shows how thinking becomes gradually more complex from infancy through adolescence. It starts with sensorimotor experiences, where infants learn about the world through actions and senses and begin to develop object permanence. Then comes the preoperational stage, marked by rapid language growth and the use of symbols, though thinking is still egocentric and lacks logical operations. After that, concrete operational thinking emerges, allowing logical reasoning about concrete objects, understanding conservation, and organizing objects into categories. The final stage is formal operational, when adolescents can think abstractly, form hypotheses, and reason deductively. So the correct order is sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, then formal operational.

This sequence shows how thinking becomes gradually more complex from infancy through adolescence. It starts with sensorimotor experiences, where infants learn about the world through actions and senses and begin to develop object permanence. Then comes the preoperational stage, marked by rapid language growth and the use of symbols, though thinking is still egocentric and lacks logical operations. After that, concrete operational thinking emerges, allowing logical reasoning about concrete objects, understanding conservation, and organizing objects into categories. The final stage is formal operational, when adolescents can think abstractly, form hypotheses, and reason deductively. So the correct order is sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, then formal operational.