Developmental Stages

Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development Kohlberg's Levels of Moral Thinking

Sensorimotor (birth-2)

Infants experience the world through senses and actions, they have stranger anxiety and learn object permanence

Preoperational (2-6/7)

Representing things with words and images (intuitive thinking rather than logical), egocentric and pretend play are key milestones

Concrete Operational (7-11)

Thinking logically about concrete events, we learn conservation and mathematical transformations

Formal Operational (12+)

Reasoning abstractly, key milestones are abstract logic and mature mental reasoning

Preconventional Morality (before 9)

Obey rules to avoid punishment or gain rewards, mostly self-interest focused

Conventional Morality (early adolescence)

Uphold laws and rules for societal approval or maintaining social order

Postconventional Morality (after adolescence)

Actions reflect beliefs and self-defined ethical principals

Trust/Mistrust (10-18 months)

Is my world safe?

Initiative/Guilt (3-5)

Am I good or bad?

Autonomy/Shame and Doubt (2-3)

Can I do things by myself or will I always rely on others?

Competence/Inferiority (6-11)

How can I be good?

Identity/Role Confusion (12-18)

Who am I and where am I going?

Intimacy/Isolation (19-40)

Am I loved and wanted?

Generativity/Stagnation (40-65)

Will I provide something of real value?

Integrity/Despair (65-death)

Have I lived a full life?