Final answer:
Object permanence refers to knowing that objects continue to exist even when they are hidden, while representational thought involves mentally representing objects and events that are not currently present.
Step-by-step explanation:
Object permanence refers to the understanding that physical things continue to exist, even if they are hidden from us. It is the ability to know that an object still exists even when it is not within the field of view. For example, if you hide a toy behind a curtain, you still know that the toy is present. On the other hand, representational thought is the ability to mentally represent objects and events that are not currently present. It involves thinking about and remembering objects and events that are not directly observable. For example, when you imagine a beach trip that you took last summer, you are engaging in representational thought. The key difference between object permanence and representational thought is that object permanence involves knowing that objects exist even when they are hidden, while representational thought involves mentally representing objects and events that are not currently present.