Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN)

When an infant actively searches for a hidden object, what can be inferred about their cognitive development?

1. They are 2 months old

2. They are 4 months old

3. They are 6 months old

4. They are 8 months old

The correct answer is: They are 8 months old

When an infant actively searches for a hidden object, it indicates that they have developed a certain level of cognitive skill, specifically related to object permanence. Object permanence is the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen, which typically begins to develop around 4 to 7 months of age and becomes more sophisticated around 8 months. By 8 months, infants are often able to mentally represent objects and demonstrate active search behavior when those objects are out of sight. At this stage, infants not only remember the location of the hidden object but also actively engage in looking for it, which highlights their growing cognitive abilities. This behavior is a milestone in their cognitive development, reflecting maturation in memory and problem-solving skills. Therefore, the inference that an infant is at least 8 months old when they start to search for hidden objects aligns with established developmental milestones. Infants younger than 8 months may show some interest in visual tracking but typically do not demonstrate the active search behavior indicative of a developing understanding of object permanence.