Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development (You can also try: Genetic Basis for Intelligence) As you have learned, the most widely held account of cognitive development in children was proposed many years ago by Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget. According to Piaget, cognitive development involves four progressive stages, each of which is identifiable by specific characteristics. Your objective in this exercise is to identify correctly those characteristics that accompany each stage of cognitive development. Simply write the letter of the stages next to the corresponding characteristic or feature. You may use each stages more than once. Stage of Cognitive Development A: Sensorimotor B: Preoperational C: Concrete Operational D: Formal Operational Characteristic or Feature Stage of Cognitive Development Abstract Thinking   Object Permanence   Can Master Conservation for First Time   Egocentrism   Deferred Imitation   Hypothetical Thinking   First Signs of Logical Thinking   Egocentric Thinking Begins Decreasing