One-year-old Kendra looks at her mother before entering a new room in a strange house. When her mother smiles, Kendra proceeds to enter the room. What does this example illustrate?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Kendra is using her mother's facial expression as a guide for how she should feel about the new environment. This is an example of social referencing, which refers to the tendency to use other people's emotional expressions as a guide for one's own behavior in a novel or ambiguous situation.

One-Year-Old Kendra Looks at Her Mother Before Entering a New