Existence as a Psychological Problem: Object Permanence in Adults and Preschool Children

Abstract

Preschool children and adults observed an instance of object discontinuity. Despite the fact that, in conversation, subjects denied the possibility of material objects that lack permanence of existence, most of them dealt with the phenomenon as if magic was involved in the transmogrification of a postage stamp. The subjective probability of belief in object discontinuity was similar to that of belief in the existence of other enigmatic phenomena, such as UFOs, parapsychological phenomena, or the Loch Ness monster. The role of adults' and children's beliefs in discontinuous objects is discussed.