Psychology MCAT Practice Exam 2025 - Free Practice Questions and Study Guide for Aspiring Psychologists.

The developmental achievement that occurs during Piaget's sensorimotor stage is object permanence. This stage, which spans from birth to approximately two years of age, is characterized by the child’s exploration of the world through their senses and motor actions.

Object permanence refers to the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be observed. For example, if a toy is hidden under a blanket, a child who has developed object permanence will understand that the toy still exists, even though it is not visible. This concept is crucial for early cognitive development, as it lays the groundwork for more complex mental operations that will be developed in later stages.

Other options, such as conservation, hypothetical reasoning, and pretend play, relate to later stages of development. Conservation is understood in the concrete operational stage, which begins around age seven, where children grasp the concept that quantity does not change with the shape or arrangement of objects. Hypothetical reasoning emerges in the formal operational stage, starting around age twelve, when adolescents can think abstractly and consider hypothetical scenarios. Pretend play typically develops around the end of the sensorimotor stage and into the preoperational stage, signifying the child’s ability to use symbols to represent objects or events.

Thus,