Which concept is the understanding that something still exists even though it cannot be seen or heard?

• A. Symbolic representation
• B. Object permanence
• C. Conservation
• D. Egocentrism

Answer: (B)

Understanding that something still exists even when you can’t see or hear it is object permanence. This ability shows that a child has formed a mental representation of the object and knows it continues to exist even when out of sight or sound. It’s a milestone in early development during the sensorimotor period; as infants gain this understanding, they’ll actively search for hidden objects or anticipate where they’re located, rather than behaving as if the object vanished.

Symbolic representation involves using symbols to stand for things not present, which is a different kind of mental skill. Egocentrism refers to difficulty taking another person’s point of view, not the persistence of unseen objects. Conservation is about understanding that quantity stays the same despite changes in appearance. The described understanding aligns with object permanence.