Which term refers to the sequence of substages within the sensorimotor period?

• A. Sensorimotor substages
• B. Preoperational stages
• C. Concrete operational stages
• D. Formal operational stages

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that within the sensorimotor period, cognition unfolds through a defined progression of stages. This sequence is called sensorimotor substages, describing how infants move from simple reflexes to more complex, intentional actions and eventually to basic mental representation. Recognizing this label highlights that the focus is on internal development inside the sensorimotor period itself, not on later phases of thinking. The other terms refer to later stages in Piaget’s theory—preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational—which describe thinking that develops after the sensorimotor period and thus do not name the internal sequence within it.