Child psychologist Jean Piaget described the mechanism by which the mind processes new information. He said that a person understands whatever information fits into his established view of the world. When information does not fit, the person must reexamine and adjust his thinking to accommodate the new information. Piaget described four stages of cognitive development and relates them to a person's ability to understand and assimilate new information. During this stage, the child learns about himself and his environment through motor and reflex actions.
Thought derives from sensation and movement.
Teaching for a child in this stage should be geared to the sensorimotor system. Early in this stage he also personifies objects. He is now better able to think about things and events that aren't immediately present. Oriented to the present, the child has difficulty conceptualizing time. He takes in information and then changes it in his mind to fit his ideas.