Object permanence is the understanding that objects:

Object permanence is the understanding that objects:

• A. Disappear when out of sight
• B. Exist only when observed by others
• C. Are always present in immediate perception
• D. Continue to exist even when hidden from view

Answer: (D)

Object permanence is the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they can't be seen. The best statement captures that hidden objects still exist even when out of view, which is exactly what this concept describes. This explains why, for example, a toy hidden under a blanket is still there and why infants will later search for it rather than act as if it vanished. In development, this awareness emerges as infants move through the sensorimotor stage and form mental representations of unseen things. The other notions—believing objects disappear when out of sight, exist only when someone is watching, or are always present in immediate perception—conflict with the idea that existence is independent of direct perception.

Object permanence is the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they can't be seen. The best statement captures that hidden objects still exist even when out of view, which is exactly what this concept describes. This explains why, for example, a toy hidden under a blanket is still there and why infants will later search for it rather than act as if it vanished. In development, this awareness emerges as infants move through the sensorimotor stage and form mental representations of unseen things. The other notions—believing objects disappear when out of sight, exist only when someone is watching, or are always present in immediate perception—conflict with the idea that existence is independent of direct perception.