ASWB LCSW Social Work Clinical Practice Exam

What age range corresponds to the sensorimotor stage of cognitive development?

1. 0-2 years

2. 2-7 years

3. 7-11 years

4. 11-14 years

The correct answer is: 0-2 years

The sensorimotor stage of cognitive development is indeed defined as occurring from birth to about 2 years of age. During this critical phase, infants learn about the world through their senses and motor activities. They explore their environment primarily through tactile interactions and movement. Key characteristics of this stage include the development of object permanence, where a child learns that objects continue to exist even when they are not visible, and the progression from reflexive responses to intentional actions. At this age, children are not yet able to think logically or perform operations mentally. Their understanding is based on immediate experiences rather than abstract reasoning. This stage lays the foundation for later cognitive development that occurs in subsequent stages, such as the preoperational and concrete operational stages, which encompass further age ranges. Thus, the age range of 0-2 years aligns perfectly with the definitions and observations noted in cognitive development theory.