Considering follow-up research, discuss the limitations of Piaget's sensorimotor stage. How do current theorists view Piaget's main contributions to the field?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Follow-up research reveals that Piaget underestimated infants' capacities: Secondary circular reactions, understanding of object properties, first signs of object permanence, deferred imitation, problem solving, and displaced reference of words emerge earlier than Piaget expected. These findings confirm that the cognitive attainments of infancy and toddlerhood do not develop together in the neat, stepwise fashion that Piaget assumed. They also show that infants comprehend a great deal before they are capable of the motor behaviors that Piaget assumed led to those understandings.
Current research on infant cognition yields broad agreement on two issues. First, many cognitive changes of infancy are gradual and continuous rather than abrupt and stagelike, as Piaget thought. Second, rather than developing together, various aspects of infant cognition change unevenly because of the challenges posed by different types of tasks and infants' varying experiences with them.
Nevertheless, Piaget made enormous contributions. His work inspired a wealth of research on infant cognition, including studies that challenged his theory. His observations also have been of great practical value. Teachers and caregivers continue to look to the sensorimotor stage for guidelines on how to create developmentally appropriate environments for infants and toddlers.