Video:What Is the Sensorimotor Stage of Cognitive Development?

Transcript:What Is the Sensorimotor Stage of Cognitive Development?

I'm Dr. Robert Reiner from Behavioral Associates in New York talking about Piaget's theory of sensorimotor phase of development, which is usually characterized by the beginning of life. T

Sensorimotor Phase is an Early Developmental Stage

he time we are really talking about are the early ages, 0 to 7 months. That's really a time when children first develop basic reflexes: grasping, sucking... this is a stage where children first begin to realize the connection between the things that they do and the particular consequences. 'If I grab this or nudge this it will move'. It's actually marked by the initial changes in sensory or motor functions. So really for the first time, these children learn that there is really some connection between grasping at something and having it in their hand. Or crying out, and Mom comes into the room.

Learning in the Sensorimotor Stage

So there's a connection between things that they do and consequences in their environment. This stage is really characterized by children learning for the first time the innate skills that they came into life with, which are grasping, sucking, crying out, grabbing and the relationship between what they do and consequences in their environment. I'm Dr. Robert Reiner from Behavioral Associates in New York and we're talking about the early stages of life from the perspective of Swiss psychologist Piaget. If you want more information about it go to About.com.