Which ability develops by the end of the sensorimotor stage?

Which ability develops by the end of the sensorimotor stage?

• A. Abstract hypothetical reasoning.
• B. Symbolic thought.
• C. Formal mathematical reasoning.
• D. Language-based problem solving exclusively.

Answer: (B)

Symbolic thought is what infants start to show as they wrap up the sensorimotor stage. During this period, babies move from simply acting on the world to forming mental representations of objects and events. That internal representation lets them think about things even when they’re not directly in front of them, which is the essence of symbolic thought. This shift underpins early pretend play and the emergence of words labeling objects and actions, setting the stage for the later use of symbols in thinking and problem solving. The other options describe skills that come later, such as abstract or formal reasoning, which require more advanced levels of thinking beyond the sensorimotor stage.

Symbolic thought is what infants start to show as they wrap up the sensorimotor stage. During this period, babies move from simply acting on the world to forming mental representations of objects and events. That internal representation lets them think about things even when they’re not directly in front of them, which is the essence of symbolic thought. This shift underpins early pretend play and the emergence of words labeling objects and actions, setting the stage for the later use of symbols in thinking and problem solving. The other options describe skills that come later, such as abstract or formal reasoning, which require more advanced levels of thinking beyond the sensorimotor stage.