Researchers have observed that infants who are consistently exposed to sign language from birth will go through a period of making repetitive, rhythmic hand movements that are components of signs but are not yet meaningful. This observation is most significant because it suggests that:

During the babbling stage, infants who are raised in environments where sign language is utilized will also exhibit babbling through hand gestures.

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After the first few months of life, infants enter the babbling stage. This phase is characterized by the production of repeated single syllables, which gradually become more varied as time passes. These early vocalizations are not considered attempts to communicate, as babies are just as likely to babble when they are alone as when they are accompanied by caregivers.

Babbling Stage

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

Manual Babbling

A new parent is thrilled because their 7-month-old infant has started saying 'da-da' repeatedly. The parent believes the infant is intentionally calling for their father. Which statement provides the most accurate analysis of this situation from a developmental perspective?

Infants are generally expected to articulate their first meaningful word at approximately 12 months of age. By about 18 months, they typically begin to combine words together to convey meaning.

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