Which stage of cognitive development occurs from 0 to 2 years of age?

The stage of cognitive development that occurs from 0 to 2 years of age is the sensorimotor stage. This stage, defined by Jean Piaget, highlights how infants learn about the world through their sensory experiences and motor actions. During this period, they develop crucial skills such as object permanence, which is the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen, heard, or otherwise sensed. Infants use their senses and actions to interact with their environment, laying the groundwork for more complex cognitive processes in later stages.

In contrast, the preoperational stage occurs from about 2 to 7 years of age and is characterized by the use of symbolic thinking and egocentrism. The concrete-operational stage follows, from approximately 7 to 11 years, and involves logical reasoning about concrete objects and physical events. Lastly, the formal operations stage, beginning around age 12, introduces abstract thinking and the ability to use hypothetical reasoning. Thus, the sensorimotor stage distinctly focuses on the early formative experiences of infants, making it the correct answer.