What type of cognitive development was emphasized by Piaget's stages?

Piaget emphasized the development of children's thinking through distinct stages, which he categorized into four main phases: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational. The concrete operational stage occurs roughly between ages 7 and 11, in which children begin to think logically about concrete events. They develop skills such as the ability to recognize the concept of conservation, which is the understanding that quantity does not change even when its shape does.

During the later formal operational stage (around age 12 and beyond), individuals can engage in abstract reasoning and hypothesis testing, allowing them to think more complexly about concepts that are not tied to physical objects or straightforward observations. This highlights the development from concrete operational thinking—focused on tangible experiences and logical processes—to more abstract forms of reasoning.

Thus, emphasizing both concrete operations and abstract reasoning illustrates the progression of cognitive capabilities that Piaget believed were fundamental to cognitive development. This framework helps to understand how children's thought processes evolve as they mature.