Abed is 12 months old, and his uncle Frank is visiting for the first time in 6 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 crawls to her to be picked up. Abed is demonstrating _____.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Abed is demonstrating social referencing, which is the ability to use others' emotional expressions to regulate their own behavior and emotions. In this case, Abed looks to his mother to gauge her reaction to his uncle's greeting and crawls to her for comfort and reassurance. This is a normal development milestone for infants. The other options (attachment disorder, social phobia, and insecure attachment) do not apply in this scenario.

Abed Is 12 Months Old, and His Uncle Frank Is