Cognitive Development
Piaget’s Sensorimotor Period
• Piaget believed children’s cognitive
development occurred in stages. The stages
were brought on by biological maturation and
environmental triggers The stages are:
– Sensorimotor (0 – 2 yrs)
– Pre-operational (2 – 7 yrs.)
– Concrete Operational (7 – 11 yrs).
– Formal Operational (11+ yrs.)
Sensorimotor Period
• In infancy, children are in the sensorimotor
period. At this stage, children learn through
the senses. Cognitive development is built
through the infant’s interactions with the
environment.
• There are six substages.
Substage 1: The use of reflexes
• Age range: Birth to 1 month
• Infants are born with inherited reflexes and it
is through the reflexes that the infant begins
to make meaning and build understanding.
• Reflexes are highly stereotyped automatic
behaviours that occur in response to specific
stimuli.
• Reflexes include:
– Root reflex: when the corner of the baby’s mouth
is stroked or touched the baby will turn toward
the sensation and open his/her mouth. This helps
the baby find the nipple to begin feeding.
– Suck reflex: when the roof of the baby’s mouth is
touch the baby will start to suck in order to feed.
– Moro reflex: when the baby is startled, the baby
will throw back the head, extend the arms and
legs, cry, then pull the arms and legs back towards
the body.
• Reflexes continued:
– Tonic neck reflex: when the baby’s head is turned
to one side, the arm on that side stretches out
and the opposite arm bends up at the elbow.
– Grasp reflex: when the baby’s palm is stroked the
fingers will close around the object.
– Babinski reflex: when the baby’s foot is firmly
stroked, the big toe will bend back toward the top
of the foot and the other toes will fan out.
– Step reflex: when the baby is held upright, it will
take steps or dance if the feet are touching a solid
surface.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JVINnp7
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Substage 2: Primary Circular Reactions
• Age Range: 1 – 4 months
• Circular reactions are repetitive behaviours.
Primary circular reactions are behaviour that
occur unexpectantly from reflexes. A reflex
will engage the child in some form of
behaviour. If the child finds that behaviour
pleasurable, the child will repeat the
behaviour.
• Example: thumb sucking
Substage 3: Secondary Circular
Reactions
• Age range: 4-8 months
• These reactions do not originate with reflexes,
but are caused by unintentional occurrences,
from the child interacting with the
environment.
• Example: an infant accidently hits a mobile
above his/her head. The mobile spins and
catches the baby’s attention. If they like it,
the child will try to hit the mobile again.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9oxmRT
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Substage 4: Coordination of Secondary
Circular Reactions
• Age range: 8 -12 months
• At this stage, infants are starting to
understand that one circular reaction can be
used to get another circular reaction.
Behaviours that the child displays are not for a
reason. At this stage, the child begins to gain
a sense of cause and effect.
• Example: The child will move a blanket to get
to a rattle.
Object Permanence
• Before substage 4, the infant doesn’t
understand that an object out-of-sight
continues to exist.
• When object permanence occurs, the child
realizes that the object still exists and will start
to look for it.
• Children who have achieved object
permanence often demonstrate it through
games like peek-a-boo.
• Developing object permanence:
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSGWh2CWJn
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• Object permanence achieved:
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQAMRlGyIX
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Substage 5: Tertiary Circular Reactions
• Age range: 12-18 months
• Infants will complete actions deliberately and
with purpose. If the action is pleasurable, the
child will repeat the action with some
variation.
• Example: A child beats on a pot with a
wooden spoon, then beats on the floor, and
finally on the refrigerator.
Substage 6: Coordination of Tertiary
Circular Reactions
• Age Range: 18 -24 months
• Children begin to internalize behaviours and
began to build mental symbols. This stage is
when children are able to participate in pretend
play.
• Example: A child is pretending to cook and needs
to “mix the ingredients” in a bowl. However, the
child doesn’t have a spoon, so the child pretends
to use a spoon or will use a similar object.