What key developmental tasks should an infant demonstrate?
The major developmental tasks an infant (birth to 1 year) should demonstrate include object permanence, weaning, and trust. According to Piaget’s (1952) cognitive stages, the infant is in the sensorimotor stage. During this stage, the infant begins to acquire language. The infant is in the oral stage of Freud’s psychoanalytic theory. During this stage, the infant derives pleasure from exploring with his or her mouth and through sucking. Freud’s theory can be used to explain why infants frequently put objects in their mouths. The infant is in the trust versus mistrust stage of Erikson’s psychosocial theory. During this stage, the infant learns to trust.
