Growth and Development: Cognitive Development

Piaget stages of cognitive development by age

Sensorimotor: birth to 2 years

Pre-operational: 2 to 7 years

Concrete operations: 7 to 11 years

Formal operations: 11 on

Piaget cognitive stage for birth-2 years

Sensorimotor (0-2): progress from simple reflexes to imitative behaviors. Nurses provide appropriate stimulation

Piaget cognitive stage for 2-7 years

Preoperational (2-7): egocentric, transductive reasoning, nurses don’t try to reason, give simple, concrete explanations

Piaget cognitive stage for 7-11 years

Concrete operations (7-11): increasing logic and problem solving, conservation. Nurses give concrete examples linking concept to child’s world of experience. Medical world foreign so link to what they know.

Piaget cognitive stage for 11-on

Formal operations (11-on): thought is more adaptable, flexible and abstract; abstract symbols, draw logical conclusions, make and test hypotheses. Nurses can explain in more depth with real discussion of consequences.