Object Constancy
- “why do I forget I love someone when I'm angry”
- “object constancy vs object permanence”
- “holding onto good feelings during conflict”
- “all good or all bad thinking”
:: COMPARE ::
Object constancyvsObject permanence
The short answer
They sound like the same idea and aren't. Object permanence is Piaget's: a hidden ball still exists — first signs around eight to twelve months, full understanding nearer two years, and no settled scientific consensus on the timing. Object constancy is Mahler's: a person you're furious with is still the person you love, which takes years and, for some people, never fully settles.
Side by side
| Aspect | Object constancy | Object permanence |
|---|---|---|
| Theorist | Mahler | Piaget |
| About | People | Things |
| Domain | Emotional | Cognitive |
| Arrives | Years | ~8–24 months |
Which one you meant
Readers who land here meaning Object Constancy rather than Object permanence are usually searching for phrases like “why do I forget I love someone when I'm angry”, “object constancy vs object permanence”, “holding onto good feelings during conflict”.
Where the confusion comes from
“Object constancy is the same as object permanence.”
Different theorists, different domains. Object permanence is Piaget's cognitive milestone about physical things persisting when unseen. Object constancy is a psychoanalytic idea about holding a stable emotional picture of a person.
Read either one in full