According to Piaget, the transition from the sensorimotor period to the preoperational is signaled by:
A) the appearance of the child's first word
B) the child's ability to walk unaided
C) deferred imitation and pretend play
D) the ability of a child to discriminate speech sounds

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to Piaget, deferred imitation and pretend play are signs of the transition from the sensorimotor period to the preoperational stage. During the sensorimotor stage, infants learn through their senses and motor actions. However, during the preoperational stage, children start developing symbolic thought, which allows them to use symbols and representational reasoning, leading to forms of play that involve pretending and imagining. Thus, deferred imitation and pretend play mark the development of symbolic thought that is characteristic of the preoperational stage.

According to Piaget, the Transition from the Sensorimotor Period to the Preoperational