Object permanence

Object permanence is a cognitive developmental stage in which a child understands that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen, heard, or otherwise sensed. This concept is a fundamental element of Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development.

Development of Object Permanence

According to Piaget, object permanence develops during the sensorimotor stage, which occurs from birth to approximately two years of age. The development of object permanence is one of the child's most important accomplishments, as it signifies the child's ability to understand that objects have an existence independent of the child's interaction with them.

Stages of Object Permanence

Piaget identified six stages in the development of object permanence:

1. Simple Reflexes (0-1 month): At this stage, the infant's understanding of the world is limited to reflexive behaviors such as sucking and looking.
2. Primary Circular Reactions (1-4 months): The infant begins to repeat pleasurable actions centered on their own body.
3. Secondary Circular Reactions (4-8 months): The infant begins to repeat actions that involve external objects.
4. Coordination of Reactions (8-12 months): The infant begins to show clear signs of understanding object permanence, such as looking for a hidden object.
5. Tertiary Circular Reactions (12-18 months): The infant experiments with different actions to observe the outcomes.
6. Early Representational Thought (18-24 months): The infant can form mental representations of unseen objects.

Importance of Object Permanence

Object permanence is a fundamental concept in the field of cognitive development because it demonstrates the child's understanding of the permanence of objects and people. This understanding forms the basis for the development of attachment to caregivers, as the child understands that the caregiver continues to exist even when not in sight.

See Also

• Cognitive development
• Jean Piaget
• Sensorimotor stage
• Attachment theory