Dashiel is 20 months old. His mother tells him that he must not touch the candle that she just lit, and then she turns her back to continue tidying the room. When she turns back around, she sees Dashiel trying to dip his finger in the melted wax under the flame. What best explains Dashiel's behavior?

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Question restatement: Dashiel is 20 months old. His mother tells him that he must not touch the candle that she just lit, and then she turns her back to continue tidying the room. When she turns back around, she sees Dashiel trying to dip his finger in the melted wax under the flame. What best explains Dashiel's behavior?

Option 1: Dashiel may have a hearing problem. This explanation is unlikely given the context: Dashiel is responding to a direct verbal instruction about not touching the candle, and his action occurs in response to that cue. A hearing problem would be a broader, persistent issue affecting many sounds and conversations, not something that would specifically account for a single exploratory action in this situation.

Option 2: Stubbornness is part of Dashiel's personality. While young children can test boundaries, labeling the behavior as stubbornness implies a fixed, global trait rather than a momentary developmental process. At 20 months, children are driven by exploration and curiosity, not a stable personality flaw.

Option 3: Dashiel is demonstrating early evidence of a deviant personality. Early deviant personality is not indicated by a single instance of curiosity-driven exploration in a safe, typical developmental stage. Devianthood usually implies patterns across time and behavior that are not supported by the information given.

Option 4: Dashiel's actions were driven by curiosity. This option aligns with what is known about toddler development: children at this age explore objects, test boundaries, and learn through sensory and hands-on experiences. Watching a candle and attempting to touch melted wax fits the pattern of curiosity-driven exploration rather than a sign of pathology or stubbornness.

Summary: The statement that best explains this behavior centers on the natural exploratory drive of a toddler around 20 months. The other options attribute causes (hearing issues, fixed personality traits, or deviant pathology) that aren’t supported by the observable context or widely recognized patterns of typical early development.

Intro to Child Psychology Exam #2 (5-7) - Due 10/15-16 (Remotely Proctored)

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