ABSTRACT

In this chapter, we adopt a novel approach to understanding the origins of social cognition. In contrast to typical studies that examine the development of social cognition and communication in the context of language and play, we examine how infants come to seek and use social information from their caregivers in the context of making decisions about challenging motor actions. Potentially risky motor situations heighten the relevance of caregivers’ social information because infants’ motor decisions have practical consequences for their safety. Moreover, the threat of physical harm provides a unique opportunity for investigating central issues in the literature on social referencing. In particular, how and when infants reference their caregivers as they plan a course of motor action has the potential to reveal new insights about babies’ knowledge of self and others.