Final answer:
The term 'conservation' refers to the understanding that an object's or a substance's basic properties remain unchanged even though its appearance has been modified.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term that refers to the awareness that an object's or a substance's basic properties remain the same even though its appearance has been altered is known as conservation. This concept is fundamental in the realm of developmental psychology, particularly among children's cognitive development stages. Conservation of mass and matter is also a key principle in physical science, stating that mass and energy are conserved during physical and chemical changes.
Object permanence, on the other hand, pertains to the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be observed. Meanwhile, assimilation and accommodation are related to how we integrate new information into our existing frameworks or adjust our frameworks to new information, respectively. These terms are often associated with the work of Jean Piaget, a psychologist known for his studies on cognitive development in children.