The infant's mental functioning shifts from a purely sensorimotor plane to a symbolic plane, and the infant develops the ability to use primitive symbols. A symbol is an internalized sensory image or word that represents an event. Primitive symbols permit the infant to think about concrete events without directly acting them out or perceiving them. They may act out their image of an event. Mental reasoning emerges.
Egocentrism begins strongly and then weakens.
Magical beliefs are constructed. Transitioning from primitive to more sophisticated use of symbols. Can't yet use operational thought. Operations are internalized sets of actions that allow the child to do mentally what before was done physically. Operations are highly organized and conform to certain rules and principles of logic.