Which skill is often developed by infants between 8 and 12 months of age?

Understanding cause and effect is a crucial cognitive development milestone that typically emerges in infants between 8 and 12 months of age. During this stage, infants begin to comprehend the relationship between their actions and the responses they elicit from the environment. For example, they might notice that if they shake a rattle, it makes noise, or if they drop a toy, it falls to the ground. This understanding fosters exploratory behavior, encouraging them to experiment with their surroundings and engage in play that involves decision-making processes.

The other skills listed, such as talking, walking, and grasping objects, are also important aspects of development, but they tend to occur at different stages. While infants might begin to babble and attempt simple words around this age, clear verbal communication typically develops a little later. Walking might start as early as 9-12 months, though some infants may take a bit longer to gain that skill. Grasping objects is a skill that develops earlier in infancy, generally beginning from around 4 to 6 months. Therefore, the development of understanding cause and effect aligns best with the cognitive growth that characterizes infants in this specific age range.