Which stage of cognitive development is typical for a 6-month-old?

The stage of cognitive development typical for a 6-month-old is the sensorimotor stage. This stage, according to Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, spans from birth to about 2 years of age. During this stage, infants learn about the world primarily through their senses and motor activities. They begin to develop motor skills, such as reaching and grasping, and they explore their surroundings by using their senses.

At around 6 months, infants are particularly engaged in discovering cause-and-effect relationships. For instance, they might realize that shaking a rattle produces sound, leading to increased exploration of objects and their properties. This is fundamental as infants start to interact with their environment, forming the basis for later cognitive abilities, such as problem-solving and symbolic thinking.

The other stages mentioned—concrete operational, preoperational, and formal operational—occur later in childhood and adolescence. The concrete operational stage is characterized by logical thinking about concrete events and typically occurs between ages 7 and 11. The preoperational stage involves emerging symbolic thought and the use of language, generally seen in children aged 2 to 7. The formal operational stage, beginning in adolescence, is when individuals start to think abstractly and logically about hypothetical situations.