Sensorimotor Stage - 6 Substages

Summary

The sensory-motor stage, described by Jean Piaget, covers the first two years of life and is divided into six substages. Starting with reflexive movements in newborns, infants gradually develop coordinated motor actions and mental schemes. As they progress from simple sensory responses to more goal-directed behaviors, they gain object permanence, experiment with their environment, and engage in symbolic play. By the end of the stage, toddlers can solve advanced problems, imitate actions from memory, and understand the world with greater complexity.

Takeaways

• 😀 The sensory-motor stage is described by Jean Piaget and covers the first two years of life, divided into six substages.
• 😀 Newborns (0-1 month) have reflexive movements like sucking, grasping, and orienting, but these movements are random and inflexible.
• 😀 From 1 to 4 months, reflexes evolve into sensory-motor schemes, and babies begin to coordinate their actions, like orienting to a noise or touching objects.
• 😀 Babies develop primary circular reactions (e.g., sucking their thumb) between 1-4 months, showing early exploratory behavior.
• 😀 Between 4-8 months, babies develop secondary circular reactions and learn their actions have consequences (e.g., hitting a toy to make it move).
• 😀 At 8-12 months, babies become intentional and goal-oriented, begin coordinating schemes, and develop object permanence (understanding objects exist even when unseen).
• 😀 Object permanence is still limited at this stage, as babies may make the A-not-B error, searching for a hidden object in its original location.
• 😀 From 12-18 months, tertiary circular reactions emerge, where babies experiment with different behaviors and solve the A-not-B error.
• 😀 Babies in the 12-18 month range also begin imitating actions and behavior, broadening their repertoire of actions.
• 😀 From 18-24 months, toddlers hold mental representations and can solve advanced object permanence problems, such as invisible displacement.
• 😀 At 18-24 months, toddlers also engage in symbolic or make-believe play, where objects represent other things (e.g., using a teacup for a pretend tea party).

Q & A

What is the sensory motor stage, and which psychologist described it?

The sensory motor stage is a developmental phase described by Jean Piaget. It spans the first two years of life and focuses on how infants and toddlers develop through sensory and motor experiences.

How is the sensory motor stage divided?

The sensory motor stage is divided into six substages, each representing different stages of cognitive and motor development, ranging from birth to 24 months.

What are the key characteristics of Stage 1 (birth to 1 month)?

In Stage 1, also known as the reflexive stage, newborns (or neonates) exhibit reflexive movements such as sucking, grasping, and orienting. These movements are automatic and inflexible, with no accommodation or learned adaptations.

What occurs during Stage 2 (1 to 4 months)?

During Stage 2, original reflexes evolve into sensory-motor schemes, becoming more refined. Accommodation begins to occur, allowing the baby to perform a broader range of actions. Infants start to coordinate their schemes, such as orienting toward a noise or touching objects.

What are primary circular reactions, and when do they develop?

Primary circular reactions are repetitive actions that infants perform, such as thumb-sucking or habitual utterances. They typically develop during Stage 2 (1 to 4 months) as infants start exploring their bodies and actions.

What marks Stage 3 (4 to 8 months)?

In Stage 3, infants develop secondary circular reactions. These reactions involve repeating actions that result in consequences, such as making a toy move by hitting it. Infants also begin to understand that their actions can have an effect on the world around them.

What is object permanence, and when do babies begin to understand it?

Object permanence is the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they are no longer visible. This concept begins to develop in Stage 4 (8 to 12 months), though infants may still make the 'A-not-B error,' where they search for a hidden object in its original location rather than its most recent one.

How do babies' behaviors change in Stage 4 (8 to 12 months)?

In Stage 4, babies' behavior becomes intentional and goal-oriented. They start to coordinate their schemes to achieve specific goals and demonstrate early signs of object permanence, such as actively searching for hidden objects.

What are tertiary circular reactions, and when do they develop?

Tertiary circular reactions are more flexible, varied repetitions of actions that toddlers engage in during Stage 5 (12 to 18 months). At this stage, they begin experimenting with their environment, solving problems like the A-not-B error, and engaging in more complex actions.

What is deferred imitation, and when does it occur?

Deferred imitation refers to the ability to imitate actions or behaviors observed in the past. This occurs during Stage 6 (18 to 24 months) and shows that toddlers can remember and replicate actions they saw earlier.

What is the significance of symbolic or make-believe play in Stage 6 (18 to 24 months)?

Symbolic or make-believe play is when toddlers use one object to represent another (e.g., using a teacup to pretend they are at a tea party). This shows their growing ability to think abstractly and develop complex cognitive skills, such as using symbols and imagination.

How does the sensory motor stage end, and what is the outcome of this development?

The sensory motor stage ends around 24 months when toddlers are able to hold mental representations and solve advanced problems, such as invisible displacement. By this time, they have developed coordinated schemes, object permanence, and the ability to engage in symbolic play.