What is a characteristic behavior of the infancy stage?

The characteristic behavior of the infancy stage is establishing trust with caregivers. During this developmental phase, which typically ranges from birth to around 12 months, infants are highly reliant on their primary caregivers for basic needs such as feeding, comfort, and security. When caregivers consistently meet these needs, infants learn to trust them, fostering a sense of safety and reliability in their environment. This foundational trust is crucial as it sets the stage for healthy emotional and social development later in life.

While learning to walk, cognitive development, and peer interaction are important aspects of growth, they occur at different stages. Learning to walk is typically seen in toddlers, cognitive development expands significantly beyond infancy, and peer interaction becomes more prominent in later stages when children begin to socialize with others outside their family unit. Hence, trust establishment during infancy is distinctive and central to this developmental period.