Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessments (AEPA) Practice Exam 2025 – Your All-in-One Guide to Exam Mastery!

The term 'object permanence' in child development refers to the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they are not visible. This cognitive milestone typically emerges in infants around 8 to 12 months of age. Before developing object permanence, infants might behave as though objects that are out of sight have disappeared entirely.

Achieving this understanding is crucial for several reasons. It reflects the child’s growing cognitive abilities and the development of memory. For example, when a toy is hidden under a blanket, a child who has developed object permanence will look for it, demonstrating they recognize that the toy still exists even though it is not currently in view.

The other options, while related to cognitive development, describe different aspects. Learning how to manipulate objects physically focuses on fine motor skills rather than cognitive understanding. The ability to categorize different types of objects relates to classification skills, which develop after concepts like object permanence. The realization that objects can change shapes pertains to understanding physical properties, not the existence of the objects when they are not seen. Thus, the essence of object permanence is the recognition of continued existence, making the first option the correct choice.