National Counselor Exam (NCE)

According to Piaget, what cognitive task does an infant acquire through games like peek-a-boo?

1. Symbolic play

2. Object permanence

3. Conservation

4. Egocentrism

The correct answer is: Object permanence

The correct answer is based on Piaget's theory of cognitive development, particularly his concept of object permanence. This refers to the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen or heard. In the context of the game peek-a-boo, infants begin to learn that even though an object, such as a person's face, is temporarily hidden, it still exists. This realization is a fundamental cognitive skill that typically develops in infants around 4 to 7 months of age. Peek-a-boo serves as a practical demonstration of this concept. As infants play this game, they experience the momentary absence of the adult's face and then their reappearance. Through repetition of this interaction, they start to form the understanding that just because they cannot see something, doesn’t mean it has vanished. This development represents a key milestone in their cognitive growth, distinguishing between what is visible and what exists independently of their immediate perception. In contrast, symbolic play involves using objects or actions to represent other objects, which develops later in childhood. Conservation refers to the understanding that certain properties of objects remain the same despite changes in their form or appearance, and this typically develops in the concrete operational stage. Egocentrism, on the other hand, describes the