Social Work Examination Services (SWES) Human Behavior Practice Test

During which stage of cognitive development do children primarily understand the world through their senses?

1. Concrete operational stage

2. Sensorimotor stage

3. Formal operational stage

4. Preoperational stage

The correct answer is: Sensorimotor stage

The sensorimotor stage is recognized as the first stage in Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, occurring from birth to about two years of age. During this period, children are predominantly exploring and comprehending their environment through their senses and motor activities. They learn about the world through direct experiences, such as seeing, touching, sucking, and moving. This stage is characterized by key developments such as the formation of object permanence, where infants begin to understand that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen. Through sensory exploration and physical interaction, children engage in trial-and-error experimentation, which is crucial for their cognitive development. In contrast, the other stages of cognitive development involve different ways of thinking and understanding the world. For example, during the concrete operational stage, which follows the sensorimotor stage, children start to think logically about concrete events but still struggle with abstract concepts. The formal operational stage introduces abstract reasoning and hypothetical thinking, while the preoperational stage involves symbolic thinking and the use of language but is still limited by egocentrism and inability to perform operations mentally. Each of these stages builds upon the earlier knowledge and experiences developed during the sensorimotor phase, further emphasizing the importance of sensory experiences in early cognitive growth.