Which of the following is an early sign of social development in infants?

• A. The infant screams when touched
• B. The infant stares at the ceiling
• C. The infant retrieves objects alone
• D. The infant smiles back at a caregiver's smile

Answer: (D)

Early social development in infants is shown when they start to engage with people, not just objects. A clear early sign is social smiling—an infant who smiles back when a caregiver smiles. This reciprocal smile demonstrates growing social awareness and the ability to coordinate with others, which supports bonding and later communication. It indicates the infant is attentive to social cues and responsive to a caregiver’s emotional state. Other behaviors here are not about social connection: a cue that the infant screams when touched reflects distress or a sensory reaction rather than a social response; staring at the ceiling is more about lone attention or exploration; retrieving objects on their own indicates motor or cognitive skills rather than social interaction. So, smiling back at a caregiver’s smile best reflects an early stage of social development.