if (object instanceof Class)
Yes, Class is the actual name of the class in this case:
Class aClass = "string".getClass();
if (object.getClass() == SomeClass.class)
...
Every object has the getClass()method - why is this?
if (object instanceof Child)
{
Child ref = (Child)object;
// now you can call methods that are only in the child class using ref.
}