Mark Klimek NCLEX-RN Yellow Book Practice Test

The sensory motor stage, as described by Jean Piaget, encompasses the developmental phase from birth to approximately 2 years of age. During this stage, infants learn about the world primarily through their senses and physical interactions. They go through significant cognitive development, which includes the acquisition of object permanence—the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen.

Throughout this period, children progress from reflexive behaviors to intentional actions, engaging in problem-solving and exploring their environment through sensory experiences. This foundational stage is crucial as it lays the groundwork for further cognitive development in subsequent stages of childhood.

The other choices represent different stages of Piaget's theory, which include preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational stages, each occurring at later ages and involving more complex forms of thinking and reasoning.