OSAT: EARLY CHILDHOOD
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Sensorimotord-dans-✔✔Piaget'sdfirstdstagedofddevelopment.dBirthdthroughdagesd18-
24dmonths.dThedinfantdknowsdthedworlddthroughdsensorydinputdanddmotordoutput.dChild
rendlearndaboutdthedworlddthroughdbasicdactionsdsuchdasdsucking,dgrasping,dlooking,da
nddlistening.dInfantsdlearndthatdthingsdcontinuedtodexistdevendthoughdtheydcannotdbedse
end(objectdpermanence).
Theydaredseparatedbeingsdfromdthedpeopledanddobjectsdarounddthem.dTheydrealizedtha
tdtheirdactionsdcandcausedthingsdtodhappendindthedworlddarounddthem.
Preoperationald-dans-✔✔Piaget'sdseconddstagedofddevelopment.dToddlerhoodd(18-
24dmonths)dthroughdearlydchildhoodd(aged7).dIntuitiondanddanimism.dChildrendbegindtod
thinkdsymbolicallydanddlearndtodusedwordsdanddpicturesdtodrepresentdobjects.dChildrend
atdthisdstagedtenddtodbedegocentricdanddstruggledtodseedthingsdfromdthedperspectivedofd
others.dWhiledtheydaredgettingdbetterdwithdlanguagedanddthinking,dtheydstilldtenddtodthin
kdaboutdthingsdindverydconcretedterms.
ConcretedOperationsd-dans-
✔✔Piaget'sdthirddstagedofddevelopment.dAges:d7dtod11.dDuringdthisdstage,dchildrendbeg
indtodthinkingdlogicallydaboutdconcretedevents.dTheydbegindtodunderstanddthedconceptdo
fdconservation;dthatdthedamountdofdliquiddindadshort,dwidedcupdisdequaldtodthatdindadtall,d
skinnydglass,dfordexample.dTheirdthinkingdbecomesdmoredlogicaldanddorganized,dbutdstil
ldverydconcrete.
Childrendbegindusingdinductivedlogic,dordreasoningdfromdspecificdinformationdtodadgener
aldprinciple.
FormaldOperationsd-dans-
✔✔Piaget'sdfourthdstagedofddevelopment.dAges:d12danddup.dAtdthisdstage,dthedadolesc
entdordyoungdadultdbeginsdtodthinkdabstractlydanddreasondaboutdhypotheticaldproblems.
dAbstractdthoughtdemerges.dTeensdbegindtodthinkdmoredaboutdmoral,dphilosophical,deth
ical,dsocial,danddpoliticaldissuesdthatdrequiredtheoreticaldanddabstractdreasoning.dBegind
toduseddeductivedlogic,dordreasoningdfromdadgeneraldprincipledtodspecificdinformation.dT
hedabilitydtodperformdmentaldoperationsdwithdabstractdconcepts,dunaideddbydhavingdcon
cretedobjectsdtodseedanddmanipulate.
Reflexesd(0-1dmonth)d-dans-✔✔Piaget'sdfirstdsub-
stagedofdthedsensorimotordstage.dDuringdthisdsub-
, stage,dthedchilddunderstandsdthedenvironmentdpurelydthroughdinborndreflexesdsuchdasd
suckingdanddlooking.
PrimarydCirculardReactionsd(1-4dmonths)d-dans-✔✔Piaget'sdseconddsub-
stagedofdthedsensorimotordstage.dThisdsub-
stagedinvolvesdcoordinatingdsensationdanddnewdschemas.dFordexample,dadchilddmayds
uckdhisdordherdthumbdbydaccidentdanddthendlaterdintentionallydrepeatdthedaction.dThese
dactionsdaredrepeateddbecausedthedinfantdfindsdthemdpleasurable.
SecondarydCirculardReactionsd(4-8dmonths):d-dans-✔✔Piaget'sdthirddsub-
stagedofdthedsensorimotordstage.dDuringdthisdsubstage,dthedchilddbecomesdmoredfocus
eddondthedworlddanddbeginsdtodintentionallydrepeatdandactiondindorderdtodtriggerdadresp
onsedindthedenvironment.dFordexample,dadchilddwilldpurposefullydpickdupdadtoydindorderd
todputditdindhisdordherdmouth.
CoordinationdofdReactionsd(8-12dmonths):d-dans-✔✔Piaget'sdfourthdsub-
stagedofdthedsensorimotordstage.dDuringdthisdsubstage,dthedchilddstartsdtodshowdclearly
dintentionaldactions.dThedchilddmaydalsodcombinedschemasdindorderdtodachievedaddesir
eddeffect.dChildrendbegindexploringdthedenvironmentdarounddthemdanddwilldoftendimitate
dthedobserveddbehaviordofdothers.dThedunderstandingdofdobjectsdalsodbeginsdduringdthi
sdtimedanddchildrendbegindtodrecognizedcertaindobjectsdasdhavingdspecificdqualities.dFor
dexample,dadchilddmightdrealizedthatdadrattledwilldmakedadsounddwhendshaken.
TertiarydCirculardReactionsd(12-18dmonths)d-dans-✔✔Piaget'sdfifthdsub-
stagedofdthedsensorimotordstage.dChildrendbegindadperioddofdtrial-and-
errordexperimentationdduringdthedfifthdsub-
stage.dFordexample,dadchilddmaydtrydoutddifferentdsoundsdordactionsdasdadwaydofdgettin
gdattentiondfromdadcaregiver.
EarlydRepresentationaldThoughtd(18-24dmonths)d-dans-✔✔Piaget'sdsixthdsub-
stagedofdthedsensorimotordstage.dChildrendbegindtoddevelopdsymbolsdtodrepresentdeve
ntsdordobjectsdindthedworlddindthedfinaldsensorimotordsub-
stage.dDuringdthisdtime,dchildrendbegindtodmovedtowardsdunderstandingdthedworlddthrou
ghdmentaldoperationsdratherdthandpurelydthroughdactions.
ObjectdPermanenced-dans-
✔✔adchild'sdunderstandingdthatdobjectsdcontinuedtodexistdevendthoughdtheydcannotdbed
seendordheard.d(usuallyd8-9dmonthsdold).
Imaginedadgamedofdpeek-a-
boo,dfordexample.dAdverydyoungdinfantdwilldbelievedthatdthedotherdpersondordobjectdhasd
actuallydvanisheddanddwilldactdshockeddordstartleddwhendthedobjectdreappears.dOlderdin
fantsdwhodunderstanddobjectdpermanencedwilldrealizedthatdthedpersondordobjectdcontinu
esdtodexistdevendwhendunseen.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Sensorimotord-dans-✔✔Piaget'sdfirstdstagedofddevelopment.dBirthdthroughdagesd18-
24dmonths.dThedinfantdknowsdthedworlddthroughdsensorydinputdanddmotordoutput.dChild
rendlearndaboutdthedworlddthroughdbasicdactionsdsuchdasdsucking,dgrasping,dlooking,da
nddlistening.dInfantsdlearndthatdthingsdcontinuedtodexistdevendthoughdtheydcannotdbedse
end(objectdpermanence).
Theydaredseparatedbeingsdfromdthedpeopledanddobjectsdarounddthem.dTheydrealizedtha
tdtheirdactionsdcandcausedthingsdtodhappendindthedworlddarounddthem.
Preoperationald-dans-✔✔Piaget'sdseconddstagedofddevelopment.dToddlerhoodd(18-
24dmonths)dthroughdearlydchildhoodd(aged7).dIntuitiondanddanimism.dChildrendbegindtod
thinkdsymbolicallydanddlearndtodusedwordsdanddpicturesdtodrepresentdobjects.dChildrend
atdthisdstagedtenddtodbedegocentricdanddstruggledtodseedthingsdfromdthedperspectivedofd
others.dWhiledtheydaredgettingdbetterdwithdlanguagedanddthinking,dtheydstilldtenddtodthin
kdaboutdthingsdindverydconcretedterms.
ConcretedOperationsd-dans-
✔✔Piaget'sdthirddstagedofddevelopment.dAges:d7dtod11.dDuringdthisdstage,dchildrendbeg
indtodthinkingdlogicallydaboutdconcretedevents.dTheydbegindtodunderstanddthedconceptdo
fdconservation;dthatdthedamountdofdliquiddindadshort,dwidedcupdisdequaldtodthatdindadtall,d
skinnydglass,dfordexample.dTheirdthinkingdbecomesdmoredlogicaldanddorganized,dbutdstil
ldverydconcrete.
Childrendbegindusingdinductivedlogic,dordreasoningdfromdspecificdinformationdtodadgener
aldprinciple.
FormaldOperationsd-dans-
✔✔Piaget'sdfourthdstagedofddevelopment.dAges:d12danddup.dAtdthisdstage,dthedadolesc
entdordyoungdadultdbeginsdtodthinkdabstractlydanddreasondaboutdhypotheticaldproblems.
dAbstractdthoughtdemerges.dTeensdbegindtodthinkdmoredaboutdmoral,dphilosophical,deth
ical,dsocial,danddpoliticaldissuesdthatdrequiredtheoreticaldanddabstractdreasoning.dBegind
toduseddeductivedlogic,dordreasoningdfromdadgeneraldprincipledtodspecificdinformation.dT
hedabilitydtodperformdmentaldoperationsdwithdabstractdconcepts,dunaideddbydhavingdcon
cretedobjectsdtodseedanddmanipulate.
Reflexesd(0-1dmonth)d-dans-✔✔Piaget'sdfirstdsub-
stagedofdthedsensorimotordstage.dDuringdthisdsub-
, stage,dthedchilddunderstandsdthedenvironmentdpurelydthroughdinborndreflexesdsuchdasd
suckingdanddlooking.
PrimarydCirculardReactionsd(1-4dmonths)d-dans-✔✔Piaget'sdseconddsub-
stagedofdthedsensorimotordstage.dThisdsub-
stagedinvolvesdcoordinatingdsensationdanddnewdschemas.dFordexample,dadchilddmayds
uckdhisdordherdthumbdbydaccidentdanddthendlaterdintentionallydrepeatdthedaction.dThese
dactionsdaredrepeateddbecausedthedinfantdfindsdthemdpleasurable.
SecondarydCirculardReactionsd(4-8dmonths):d-dans-✔✔Piaget'sdthirddsub-
stagedofdthedsensorimotordstage.dDuringdthisdsubstage,dthedchilddbecomesdmoredfocus
eddondthedworlddanddbeginsdtodintentionallydrepeatdandactiondindorderdtodtriggerdadresp
onsedindthedenvironment.dFordexample,dadchilddwilldpurposefullydpickdupdadtoydindorderd
todputditdindhisdordherdmouth.
CoordinationdofdReactionsd(8-12dmonths):d-dans-✔✔Piaget'sdfourthdsub-
stagedofdthedsensorimotordstage.dDuringdthisdsubstage,dthedchilddstartsdtodshowdclearly
dintentionaldactions.dThedchilddmaydalsodcombinedschemasdindorderdtodachievedaddesir
eddeffect.dChildrendbegindexploringdthedenvironmentdarounddthemdanddwilldoftendimitate
dthedobserveddbehaviordofdothers.dThedunderstandingdofdobjectsdalsodbeginsdduringdthi
sdtimedanddchildrendbegindtodrecognizedcertaindobjectsdasdhavingdspecificdqualities.dFor
dexample,dadchilddmightdrealizedthatdadrattledwilldmakedadsounddwhendshaken.
TertiarydCirculardReactionsd(12-18dmonths)d-dans-✔✔Piaget'sdfifthdsub-
stagedofdthedsensorimotordstage.dChildrendbegindadperioddofdtrial-and-
errordexperimentationdduringdthedfifthdsub-
stage.dFordexample,dadchilddmaydtrydoutddifferentdsoundsdordactionsdasdadwaydofdgettin
gdattentiondfromdadcaregiver.
EarlydRepresentationaldThoughtd(18-24dmonths)d-dans-✔✔Piaget'sdsixthdsub-
stagedofdthedsensorimotordstage.dChildrendbegindtoddevelopdsymbolsdtodrepresentdeve
ntsdordobjectsdindthedworlddindthedfinaldsensorimotordsub-
stage.dDuringdthisdtime,dchildrendbegindtodmovedtowardsdunderstandingdthedworlddthrou
ghdmentaldoperationsdratherdthandpurelydthroughdactions.
ObjectdPermanenced-dans-
✔✔adchild'sdunderstandingdthatdobjectsdcontinuedtodexistdevendthoughdtheydcannotdbed
seendordheard.d(usuallyd8-9dmonthsdold).
Imaginedadgamedofdpeek-a-
boo,dfordexample.dAdverydyoungdinfantdwilldbelievedthatdthedotherdpersondordobjectdhasd
actuallydvanisheddanddwilldactdshockeddordstartleddwhendthedobjectdreappears.dOlderdin
fantsdwhodunderstanddobjectdpermanencedwilldrealizedthatdthedpersondordobjectdcontinu
esdtodexistdevendwhendunseen.
