284 Unit 3 Infancy
Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
• Unlike two-year-olds who remember
their parents have returned after each
separation, infants do not have the
memory of past events.
• Infants are dependent on others to fulfi ll
their needs whereas two-year-olds are
more independent.
• Two-year-olds can express their needs
better than infants who cannot express
their needs to others well, especially to
adults they do not know. Infants’ inability
to express themselves can lead to anxiety.
Anger
Just as the startle refl ex prece des (comes before
something) true fear, infant rage precedes true anger.
Infant rage occurs when babies are distressed.
When infants feel distressed, they may swing their
arms and legs excitedly, turn red, and cry loudly
(Figure 10.8). Infant rage is not true anger, because
anxious when the adults they love must leave
them for a time. This is common when a parent
goes to work or leaves the house to run an errand.
The anxiety begins when the infant sees clues of
the upcoming separation, such as a parent picking
up car keys or telling the infant good-bye. Separation
anxiety is more intense when strangers, such as
new babysitters, are near. Infants cannot anticipate
a reunion with their loved ones. Thus, during
separations, they cry as though their heart will
break. When this occurs, infants are most diffi cult
to console.
Reactions to anxiety normally fade when infants
are around two years of age, which may be due to
the following:
• Children younger than two years of age
cannot understand why parents must
leave whereas two-year-olds have some
understanding about why their parents
must leave them with others.
Figure 10.8 Infant rage precedes true anger, which typically does not develop until around 8 to 10 months of age. How would
you describe infant rage to a new parent who is frustrated with his or her baby?