What does object permanence refer to in cognitive psychology?

Object permanence is a fundamental concept in cognitive psychology that refers to the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they are not visible. This cognitive development milestone typically emerges in infants between the ages of 4 to 7 months. It signifies the ability to form a mental representation of objects, which is crucial for effective interaction with the environment.

When a child realizes that an object remains in existence despite being hidden, it indicates a level of cognitive development that allows for more sophisticated thought processes, such as memory and prediction. This ability to understand that unseen objects still exist is essential for various everyday tasks and for the development of further cognitive skills, such as reasoning and planning.

The other options address different cognitive concepts that do not specifically relate to the understanding of object permanence. For example, the ability to perceive depth and distance pertains to visual perception skills, recognition of familiar objects relates more to memory and familiarity processing, and the perception that changes over time refers to the dynamic nature of perception, none of which capture the specific essence of object permanence.