Which theory suggests that children's thinking evolves in stages?

Piaget's theory is renowned for outlining a developmental framework where children’s cognitive abilities progress through distinct, sequential stages. This perspective emphasizes that as children grow, they move through these stages—sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational. Each stage reflects a new level of understanding and reasoning that contributes to their cognitive development.

The stages are characterized by different ways of thinking and understanding the world. For example, in the sensorimotor stage, infants learn through sensory experiences and manipulating the environment, while during the formal operational stage, adolescents develop the ability to think abstractly and critically. Piaget believed that this progression is universal among children, although the age at which they reach each stage can vary.

Other theories mentioned, such as information processing theory and Vygotsky's theory, focus on different aspects of cognitive development. Information processing theory emphasizes how children process information rather than the stages of thought, while Vygotsky's theory highlights the social and cultural influences on learning and development, particularly the role of language and interaction. Ecological theory takes a broader view of development influenced by multiple environments rather than focusing solely on cognitive stages. Thus, Piaget's theory remains the definitive model that proposes a staged evolution of children's thinking.