Nine-month-old Elmer sees a rabbit in the yard. He then looks at his father, Fudd, and tries to direct Fudd's focus toward the bunny by pointing at the hopping rabbit. Elmer's behavior illustrates the process of _____ as an indicator of an emerging self-awareness.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Elmer's behavior of trying to direct his father's focus toward the rabbit through pointing is an example of joint attention. Joint attention is the ability to share attention with others and coordinate attention between oneself and another person or object. It is often seen as an indicator of an emerging self-awareness in young children. The other options, industry, temperament, and behavioral inhibition, do not describe the behavior exhibited by Elmer in this scenario.

Nine-Month-Old Elmer Sees a Rabbit in the Yard