Which substage involves combining schemas to solve problems and goal-directed behavior?

Which substage involves combining schemas to solve problems and goal-directed behavior?

• A. Coordination of reactions
• B. Primary circular reactions
• C. Secondary circular reactions
• D. Tertiary circular reactions

Answer: (A)

This substage marks the emergence of purposeful problem solving by combining different actions to reach a goal. Infants start coordinating multiple schemes—such as reaching, grasping, pulling, or moving objects—to solve problems in the environment, showing goal-directed behavior rather than just repeating a single action. For example, they might figure out how to retrieve a toy that's partly hidden by using a sequence of actions like moving a cloth or adjusting a barrier to access it. This distinguishes it from earlier stages, where actions are simpler repetitions focused either on the infant itself or on objects, without coordinated plans. Later stages involve more experimentation with new actions to see different outcomes.