Which statement best describes stranger anxiety in infants?

• A. Infants show attachment to parents making assessment easier
• B. Infants become attached to strangers
• C. Infants form attachments to parents, making assessment more difficult
• D. Infants have no reaction

Answer: (C)

Stranger anxiety comes from an infant’s developing attachment to a primary caregiver and their ability to distinguish familiar people from unfamiliar ones. This typically appears in the first year of life, as infants realize who is consistently with them and who is not. The statement that best fits is that infants form attachments to their parents, and when strangers are present, this can make assessment more difficult because the infant may cling, cry, or withdraw, seeking the safety and comfort of the caregiver. It’s a normal, healthy sign that attachment is forming.

This behavior isn’t about becoming attached to strangers, nor is it a lack of reaction. It also isn’t about attachment to parents making evaluation easy; the distress around unfamiliar people can complicate assessment until the infant is reassured by the caregiver or gradually warmed up to the examiner.