What cognitive development stage are infants in according to Piaget?

Infants are in the sensorimotor stage of cognitive development, according to Piaget's theory. This stage occurs from birth to approximately 2 years of age. During the sensorimotor stage, infants learn primarily through their senses and motor activities. They explore the world around them by touching, looking, and manipulating objects, which helps them to develop an understanding of the environment and the concept of object permanence—the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen.

In this stage, cognitive development is characterized by actions that are rooted in physical interaction with their surroundings. Infants learn to coordinate their sensory experiences with their motor actions, fostering essential skills that lay the foundation for later cognitive processes. This stage is crucial as it marks the beginning of logical thinking, which further develops in subsequent stages.