Infants develop a fear of strangers at about 8 months of age because they can't assimilate unfamiliar faces into their
A) schemas.
B) insecure attachments.
C) impaired theory of mind.
D) critical period.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Infants develop a fear of strangers because they can't assimilate unfamiliar faces into their schemas, which are mental frameworks that organize and interpret information. As infants form schemas for familiar faces, new faces that do not fit into those schemas are perceived as unfamiliar and potentially threatening, leading to stranger anxiety. Insecure attachments (B) may contribute to stranger anxiety but are not the primary cause. Impaired theory of mind (C) is not directly related to fear of strangers. Critical period (D) is a term used to describe a limited time window during development when certain behaviors can be learned or modified, but it is not relevant to stranger anxiety.

Infants Develop a Fear of Strangers at About 8 Months