With relevant examples, explain the four stages of cognitive development as proposed by Jean Piaget.

Jean Piaget proposed four stages of cognitive development that children go through as they grow and mature. These stages are:

1. Sensorimotor Stage (Birth to 2 years old): During this stage, infants learn about the world through their senses and actions. They develop object permanence, the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they are out of sight. For example, a child in this stage may search for a hidden toy because they know it still exists even though they can't see it.

2. Preoperational Stage (2 to 7 years old): In this stage, children begin to use language and symbols to represent objects and ideas. They also develop egocentrism, the inability to see things from another person's perspective. For example, a child in this stage may believe that everyone sees the world the same way they do.

3. Concrete Operational Stage (7 to 11 years old): During this stage, children begin to think logically about concrete events and objects. They can understand conservation, the idea that quantity remains the same even when the shape or arrangement of objects changes. For example, a child in this stage can understand that pouring water from a tall, narrow glass into a short, wide glass does not change the amount of water.

4. Formal Operational Stage (11 years old and up): In this final stage, adolescents and adults can think abstractly and logically about hypothetical situations. They can also engage in deductive reasoning and problem-solving. For example, a teenager in this stage can think about different possible outcomes of a decision and weigh the consequences before making a choice.

Overall, Piaget's theory of cognitive development emphasizes the importance of children actively constructing their understanding of the world through their experiences and interactions with their environment.

Jean Piaget's Four Stages of Cognitive Development:

1. Sensorimotor Stage (Birth to 2 Years)

- Key Features:
- Understanding the world through sensory and motor experiences
- Object permanence (realizing that objects continue to exist even when they are out of sight)
- Examples:
- Reaching for a toy that is placed in front of them
- Dropping a toy and looking for it under the couch

2. Preoperational Stage (2 to 7 Years)

- Key Features:
- Use of symbols to represent objects and events
- Egocentrism (difficulty understanding perspectives other than their own)
- Conservation (difficulty understanding that the quantity of a substance remains the same regardless of its shape or form)
- Examples:
- Pretending a banana is a telephone
- Believing that a cloud that is shaped like a cat is actually a cat

3. Concrete Operational Stage (7 to 11 Years)

- Key Features:
- Logical thinking in concrete situations
- Understanding conservation
- Ability to classify objects based on common characteristics
- Examples:
- Solving a puzzle that requires manipulating physical objects
- Ordering toys according to size or color

4. Formal Operational Stage (11 Years and Up)

- Key Features:
- Abstract reasoning and hypothetical thinking
- Ability to consider multiple perspectives
- Developing moral reasoning and ethical principles
- Examples:
- Engaging in debates and exploring different viewpoints
- Forming opinions on complex social and political issues
- Imagining and creating fictional worlds