Which cognitive achievement emerges during the sensorimotor stage?

• A. Abstract logical reasoning
• B. Conservation and egocentrism
• C. Object permanence and the beginning of symbolic thought
• D. Hypothetical-deductive reasoning

Answer: (C)

In the sensorimotor stage, infants learn about the world through direct sensory experience and actions. A key achievement is object permanence—the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they are out of sight. This marks a shift from simply reacting to visible stimuli to grasping that things have continued existence beyond perception. At the same time, the end of this stage brings the beginning of symbolic thought, meaning babies start using mental representations and engage in early pretend play as they link symbols with objects and events. Other options point to abilities that emerge later: abstract logical reasoning and hypothetical-deductive reasoning develop in formal operational thought, while conservation and egocentrism are characteristic of later stages such as concrete operational and preoperational, respectively.