How many stages are there in Jean Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development?

Jean Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development is fundamentally structured around four distinct stages that describe how children's thinking evolves over time. These stages are:

1. Sensorimotor Stage (birth to approximately 2 years) - In this stage, infants learn about the world through their senses and actions. They develop object permanence and begin to understand that objects exist even when they cannot be seen.

2. Preoperational Stage (approximately 2 to 7 years) - This stage is characterized by the development of language and symbolic thinking, but children still struggle with logic and understanding the perspectives of others. They exhibit egocentrism and magical thinking.

3. Concrete Operational Stage (approximately 7 to 11 years) - During this stage, children gain a better understanding of logical operations and can think logically about concrete events. They begin to understand the concept of conservation, which is the understanding that quantity does not change even when its shape does.

4. Formal Operational Stage (approximately 12 years and up) - In this final stage, individuals develop the ability to think abstractly, reason logically, and plan systematically. They can ponder hypothetical situations and use deductive reasoning.

Understanding these four stages is crucial for educators