When do infants typically start to understand cause and effect?

Infants typically start to understand cause and effect between 8 and 12 months of age. This developmental milestone is significant as it marks a shift in cognitive abilities where infants begin to recognize that their actions can lead to specific outcomes. For instance, an infant may learn that shaking a rattle produces sound or that dropping a toy makes it disappear, which encourages further exploration and interaction with their environment.

During this developmental phase, infants engage in more intentional actions and begin to explore the relationship between their behavior and its consequences. They might experiment by pushing a button to see what happens, demonstrating their understanding that certain actions lead to expected results.

This understanding of cause and effect is crucial for later learning across various domains, as it lays the groundwork for problem-solving skills, reasoning, and critical thinking that will develop further in childhood. Thus, identifying this cognitive ability within the 8 to 12 month range supports the understanding of infant learning and development.