Although it may be possible to conclude that Piaget (1954) did underestimate children’s abilities based on his methodological limitations and neglect of socio-cultural and innate factors, the evidence supporting this claim is unstable as the research is highly conflicting with studies suggesting the understanding of object permanence develops at a range of ages. One possible explanation for these conflicting findings may simply be that over time the age at which object permanence develops has changed. This is supported by Flynn (1984) who argued, with the case of intelligence, that over generations the average individual has become more intelligent. This may also be the case for the ability of object permanence due to the rapid technological
