What theory suggests that cognitive development occurs in distinct stages?

The theory that suggests cognitive development occurs in distinct stages is Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. This theory, proposed by Jean Piaget, posits that children move through four specific stages of cognitive growth: the sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational stages. Each stage is characterized by different ways of thinking and understanding the world, indicating that cognitive development is not a continuous process but rather involves qualitative changes in how children process information and interact with their environment. This stage-based approach provides a structured framework for understanding how children's thinking evolves over time and how they build upon previous cognitive abilities.

The other theories mentioned do not focus on distinct stages of cognitive development. For instance, information processing theory emphasizes the workings of the mind as a system that encodes, stores, and retrieves information without distinctly categorized stages. Psychoanalytic theory, rooted in Freudian concepts, primarily delves into emotional and social development rather than cognitive stages. Behaviorist theory focuses entirely on observable behaviors and the conditions that reinforce them, ignoring the cognitive processes that occur during development. Thus, Piaget’s framework is unique in its emphasis on distinct phases that symbolize significant shifts in cognitive capability.