Which stage of cognitive development involves exploring through the senses and gaining object permanence?

The stage of cognitive development that involves exploring through the senses and gaining object permanence is the Sensorimotor stage. This stage, which occurs from birth to approximately 2 years old, is characterized by infants learning about the world primarily through their sensory experiences and physical interactions. During this stage, children engage in various activities like reaching, grasping, and mouthing objects, which helps them learn about their environment.

A key milestone of the Sensorimotor stage is the concept of object permanence—the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen or heard. This realization is crucial as it marks a significant shift in cognitive development, allowing children to form mental representations of objects. The ability to develop object permanence signifies a more advanced level of thinking, where infants begin to understand the permanence of the world around them.

In contrast, the other stages—Preoperational, Concrete Operational, and Formal Operational—focus on different cognitive skills and abilities that develop later in childhood. The Preoperational stage, for example, involves symbolic thinking but does not yet encompass the understanding of object permanence as firmly grasped in the Sensorimotor stage. Thus, the correct answer aligns perfectly with the developmental milestones associated with this specific stage.