Ethan, a three-year old, asks his mom to cut a pizza pie into twelve rather than eight pieces because he is "really hungry." On the basis of this example, it is most appropriate to conclude that Ethan ________.
A) understands object permanence
B) does not understand object permanence
C) understands conservation
D) does not understand conservation

Question

Ethan, a three-year old, asks his mom to cut a pizza pie into twelve rather than eight pieces because he is "really hungry." On the basis of this example, it is most appropriate to conclude that Ethan ________.
A) understands object permanence
B) does not understand object permanence
C) understands conservation 
D) does not understand conservation

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Ethan's request for more pieces suggests that he does not understand the concept of conservation, which refers to the understanding that the quantity of a substance remains the same even when its shape or appearance changes. Cutting a pizza into more pieces does not increase the amount of pizza, which suggests that Ethan does not understand conservation. Object permanence, on the other hand, refers to the understanding that an object continues to exist even when it is out of sight, and is not directly related to Ethan's request for more pizza pieces.

Ethan, a Three-Year Old, Asks His Mom to Cut a Pizza