What do children do in the secondary circular reactions substage of Piagets sensorimotor stage?
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Babies tend to get their hands on
almost everything they can find and even try to put most of the objects in their mouths. The sensorimotor stage is a developmental phase wherein babies use their senses for performing activities such as touching, sucking, grasping, and listening. As per Piaget’s Theory of Development in children, a child progresses into four distinct stages of cognitive development throughout childhood, including: Children undergo growth in stages, and each phase plays a crucial part in their development. For example, developing sensorimotor skills in the first stage is critical for the succeeding stages of development. The sensorimotor stage of development is the first of the four stages of development put forth by Jean Piaget in his Theory of Cognitive Development. The sensorimotor stage lasts from birth to about two years. This period is characterized by rapid growth and cognitive development in a child. According
to Piaget, it is called the ‘sensorimotor’ stage because the early reflexes and signs of intelligence develop through sensory perceptions and motor activities that a baby experiences. It is during this stage that infants and toddlers learn about the world around them. They do so by coordinating all the sensory experiences, such as hearing, looking, touching,
tasting, and reaching out (1). The primary learning during this developmental stage is object permanence, which is understanding that objects exist even if they are out of sight (2). Jean Piaget was a Swiss psychologist and genetic epistemologist. He was one of the earliest researchers to study child psychology (3). He is known for his works on how children develop intellectually. His most famous works include his Theory of Cognitive Development that gave an
in-depth analysis of how children develop intellectually throughout their childhood. He postulated that as babies continue interacting with their environment, they build on their existing knowledge while retaining what they already know. They have an innate knack for adapting their knowledge as they continue to grow and develop. The sensorimotor stage of development can be further divided into
six substages that signify special milestones attained by the child: During this substage, your newborn will respond to different stimulations with reflex acts, such as grasping, smiling, and sucking (4). These reflexes come to the baby innately and are not taught. For example, the child will show a
sucking reflex when you touch the baby’s cheek lightly The second stage is characterized by the repetition of activities that the baby finds pleasurable. For example, babies in this age group tend to suck on their thumbs, wiggle their toes and fingers, and move their legs in a kicking action.
Contrary to those made in the reflexive stage, these actions are not reflex actions but are done intentionally for pleasure. Hence, they are also known as a type of pleasurable stimulation. By this time, your baby will smile at people spontaneously, copy facial movements and expressions, respond to the affection shown to them, reach for toys with one hand, and look
at the faces of people very closely. They also begin to recognize people and things even from a distance (5). In the next four months, babies repeat their pleasurable actions, but they use objects to learn about the world. For example, simple actions like dropping a toy, banging objects or
utensils, or throwing the pillow down will give them the confidence to try new actions. They are more likely to continue these activities as they find them pleasurable. During these months, babies are also more likely to make noises of their own—laughing, making sounds to converse, or expressing their emotions. Babies also become a bit more focused on their surroundings and perform actions to elicit a response from their environment. In this substage, babies use the basic reflexes they know and have developed in the past few months to plan and coordinate their actions. They perform these actions in anticipation of events. This ability is made possible by the prefrontal cortex’s maturation, and babies can now perform goal-oriented activities. They know who is a stranger and may refuse to go to people they don’t know, may say ‘no,’ watch something fall, move things from one hand to another, and pick up food from a bowl to place it in their mouth (5). Babies at this stage enjoy playing peek-a-boo and love to find hidden objects. A simple example of this is when a baby spots a toy under the table or a little away from them, they crawl to it, grab it, and most likely play with it or put it in their mouth.
It is during this substage that the child enters toddlerhood. At this age, babies will explore the world more than ever and use planning, motor coordination, and experimentation. Toddlers can now put things together that they were able to pull apart in the earlier substages. For example, toddlers can dismantle a sequence of blocks and put them back together. It is also the substage when toddlers can understand and respond to spoken language. They also begin to use small words and phrases and are captivated by songs, nursery rhymes, and stories.
The final substage of sensorimotor development is that of ‘symbolic thought’ or ‘early representational thought.’ According to Piaget, children begin to understand symbols that represent objects that they are familiar with. This substage acts as a transition of the child’s development from the sensorimotor to the preoperational stage. By now, children develop the ability to visualize objects that are not always present before them. They also observe how people around them manage their environment to achieve the desired goal and try to emulate them (3). According to Jean Piaget, it is critical as it enables the child to develop object permanence, which is the fundamental goal of the sensorimotor stage. Activities To Try With Your Baby During Sensorimotor StagePlaytime with your child is the best way to stimulate their cognitive development. There are plenty of activities that you can do with your child to boost their cognition in the sensorimotor stage. 1. Object permanence playA simple game of peek-a-boo is a great way to help your child learn object permanence. Take a blanket and hide your face behind it. While an infant might not initially realize that you are behind the blanket, a toddler gaining object permanence may try to pull the blanket off from your face to find you. Similarly, try to cover your baby’s face and clap or cheer when revealing their face to create a sort of enthusiasm or excitement. As your baby grows up, you can play a full-fledged game of peek-a-boo, asking them, “where am I?” and also encourage them to hide while you seek them. 2. Tactile playTouching and feeling things is probably one of the first motor skills that a baby learns. Encouraging tactile play can help them develop different sensations, develop their motor skills, and stimulate creativity in their growing minds. Some activities that can help in tactile play are the following.
3. BooksBabies and toddlers are perceptive to a story or a song. Introduce them to books with 3D images and scenes that allow them to touch and feel textures and shapes. It is a great way to help them understand the world around them. For example, telling them about fruits and showing the pictures, followed by giving your baby the real fruit, goes a long way in their cognitive development. 4. Moving toysYou can even boost your child’s cognition with toys, such as a train engine that makes noise while it moves or a toy dog that moves when pulled with a string. It attracts your baby’s attention and develops their sense of hearing, visual acuity, recognition skills, and tactile senses. Parenting Tips For The Sensorimotor StageParenting at every stage, including the sensorimotor stage, requires you to communicate with your baby and help them better understand their surroundings and actions. Here are a few tips that can promote bonding with your child and boost their cognitive development.
Talk to your baby about everyday things, read to them, sing to them, narrate a story, or sing a nursery rhyme. These activities can increase your child’s perception of different stimuli, improve their ability to grasp new words, and improve vocabulary.
Help them learn and differentiate between two common sensory experiences, such as warm and cold sensations. You can do this by giving your baby a cold towel or object, immediately followed by a warm towel or bottle of milk.
The sensorimotor stage of development is based on the environment’s stability, building trust, looping discovery, reinforcement, and subsequent discovery. The environment around a child must be kept as stable as possible. For instance, let them understand there’s a place for a diaper change, toys go on the same shelf each night, and they should sit on a chair to eat. Keeping their objects at the same place and using the same place for the same activity maintains a stable environment. It eventually helps the baby better understand things and object permanence. Keep their environment mostly stable while also accommodating a few alterations to encourage discovery and experimentation to boost the baby’s motor skills.
During the sensorimotor stage of development, it is essential to stimulate your baby’s five senses. You can do so by:
While it is important to expose your baby to different things around them, it is also essential to ensure a safe playing environment for your child at all times. For example, allowing your child to bang utensils or make sounds with kitchen ladles and vessels is a great idea, but you must ensure they are doing so under your supervision with no hazards around. Supervise your baby when they tend to put everything into their mouth as some objects might be unsafe. The sensorimotor development stage is when babies undergo cognitive development and rapid growth. During this time, they learn to experience their sensory feelings and reflexes and coordinate them to learn about their surroundings. The sensorimotor stage lasts till the age of about two years, and parents are advised to engage their babies in various activities to help develop their cognitive skills. You can also develop a bond with your little one while engaging in these activities and cherish these moments in future. Infographic: Activities For Babies In The Sensorimotor StageThe development of sensorimotor skills in babies can be aided by appropriate activities that boost their cognition. Check out this infographic on some simple activities you can try to enhance your baby’s sensorimotor skills. Key Pointers
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Rohit Garoo did MBA from Osmania University and holds a certificate in Developmental Psychology from The University of Queensland. The zoologist-botanist turned writer-editor has over 8 years of experience in content writing, content marketing, and copywriting. He has also done an MBA in marketing and human resources and worked in the domains of market research and e-commerce. Rohit writes topics... more Dr. Ashley Van Putten is a board-certified pediatrician. She studied at the University of Florida, then got her Master of Science in Medical Sciences from the University of South Florida and completed her medical training at Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine. The Florida-based doctor completed her pediatrics residency in sunny South Florida and currently works in the Fort Lauderdale... more What happens during Piaget's second sensorimotor substage?The second substage is the stage of primary circular reactions. The baby will repeat pleasurable actions centred on its own body. For example, babies from 1 – 4 months old will wiggle their fingers, kick their legs and suck their thumbs. These are not reflex actions.
What is happening in a child going through Piaget's sensorimotor stage?The child relies on seeing,touching, sucking, feeling, and using their senses to learn things aboutthemselves and the environment. Piaget calls this the sensorimotor stagebecause the early manifestations of intelligence appear from sensory perceptionsand motor activities.
What stage is secondary circular reactions?Stage 3. Secondary circular reactions (infants between 4 and 8 months). Infants repeat actions that involve objects, toys, clothing, or other persons. They might continue to shake a rattle to hear the sound or repeat an action that elicits a response from a parent to extend the reaction.
What are the Substages of Piaget's sensorimotor stage?Piaget separated his sensorimotor period into six sensorimotor substages: reflexive schemes, primary circular reactions, secondary circular reactions, coordination of secondary circular reactions, tertiary circular reactions, and mental representations [1–4].
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