Texas PPR (Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities) Practice Test

In Piaget's theory of cognitive development, during which stage is intelligence primarily shown through motor activity and knowledge limited to physical interactions?

1. Concrete Operational (Piaget)

2. Formal Operational (Piaget)

3. Pre-Operational (Piaget)

4. Sensorimotor (Piaget)

The correct answer is: Sensorimotor (Piaget)

In Piaget's theory of cognitive development, the stage where intelligence is primarily demonstrated through motor activity and knowledge is limited to physical interactions is the Sensorimotor stage. This stage spans from birth to approximately 2 years of age. During this period, infants learn about the world primarily through their senses and actions. They explore their environment by touching, manipulating, and experimenting with objects, which helps them to understand concepts of object permanence and cause-and-effect relationships. This focus on sensory experiences and motor actions means that cognitive development is closely tied to physical interaction with the surroundings. Infants do not yet have the ability to think abstractly or engage in logical reasoning, which differentiates this stage from later stages of development, such as the Pre-Operational or Concrete Operational stages where children start to think symbolically and logically about concrete objects and situations. The other stages, such as Pre-Operational and Concrete Operational, involve more complex forms of thinking that extend beyond mere physical interactions and sensory experiences. Therefore, the defining characteristics of intelligence during the Sensorimotor stage make it the correct choice for this question.