Abed is 12 months old, and his uncle Frank is visiting for the first time in six months. Frank is delighted to see his nephew, so as he enters the room, he booms, "There's my little man!" Abed looks to his mother, who is smiling broadly at her brother Frank, and then crawls to her to be picked up. Abed is demonstrating _____.
A) attachment disorder
B) social referencing
C) social phobia
D) insecure attachment

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Abed is demonstrating social referencing, which is the tendency to look to caregivers for emotional guidance in unfamiliar or ambiguous situations. In this case, Abed is unsure about how to react to his uncle's exuberant entrance, but he looks to his mother's reassuring smile before crawling to her for comfort. This is a normal and healthy behavior for a 12-month-old child. The other options (attachment disorder, social phobia, and insecure attachment) do not fit the scenario described.

Abed Is 12 Months Old, and His Uncle Frank Is