Birth–11 monthsManaging SelfPersonal, Social and Emotional Development: Self-confidence and self-awareness
Learns that own voice and actions have effects on others.
Observe whether the child: learns that own voice and actions have effects on others.
What it looks like
Three ways this behaviour shows up as a child grows. Each level includes everyday moments to watch for.
Emerging
Just starting
Occasionally notices that a sound or movement gets a response (e.g., adult turns, smiles) and may repeat it once, but the pattern is inconsistent. Social responses sometimes change the baby's behaviour (briefly more alert or calmer).
What you might see
Makes similar cries/sounds regardless of whether an adult responds, with little shift in gaze or body when someone engages.
Does not increase attention or social signalling when an adult enters the space or speaks to them.
Rarely repeats a sound/action after an adult reacts (no clear "I did that" pattern).
Briefly stills or looks toward an adult after the adult responds to a sound or movement.
Repeats a squeal/coo once after an adult smiles or copies them, then stops.
Changes facial expression (smile/alert) when a familiar adult reacts to their vocalisation.
Expected
On track
Repeats sounds/actions that reliably get a response (e.g., cooing to re-engage, kicking arms to start a game) and pauses as if waiting. Shows early turn-taking in simple routines with familiar adults.
What you might see
Vocalises, then pauses and looks at the adult as if waiting for a reply, and vocalises again after the reply.
Repeats an action (e.g., banging, kicking, arm-waving) that makes an adult respond (talk back, laugh, re-engage).
In a familiar game (tickle/peekaboo), makes a sound/movement that seems to request "again".
Exceeding
Going further
Uses voice and actions more intentionally to influence others (gain attention, continue interaction), adjusting intensity/type of signal based on what happens. Participates in back-and-forth exchanges (vocal/gesture) with clear contingent responding.
What you might see
Uses different signals for different social effects (e.g., soft coo to invite, louder call to regain attention) and watches the adult's response.
Sustains a back-and-forth vocal exchange for several turns with a familiar adult.
When an adult pauses, increases signalling (looks, reaches, vocalises) to re-start interaction rather than disengaging immediately.
Initiates interaction with multiple people by vocalising and then shifting gaze between them, as if inviting a response.
Varies pitch/volume/gesture to get a specific reaction (smile, pick-up, continue play) and persists if the first attempt fails.
Uses early gesture/voice combinations (e.g., reaching + vocalising, showing object + sound) to direct others' attention.
Try this at home
Small everyday moments where you can notice this behaviour without setting up anything special.
During face-to-face time, copy your baby's sound once and see if they repeat it back or pause as if waiting for your reply.
In a simple game (peekaboo, tickle), pause mid-routine and notice whether your baby vocalises/moves to get you to continue.
When you enter the room, observe whether your baby uses a particular sound or movement to pull your attention toward them.
At bath time, respond warmly to a new squeal/splash and see whether your baby repeats the same action to recreate your reaction.
During floor play, stop talking for a moment and watch whether your baby increases eye contact, gestures, or vocalising to re-engage you.
Connected behaviours
Behaviours that scaffold, follow, or co-emerge with this one.
The framework source and supporting developmental research.
Framework source
Development Matters in the EYFS (2012) (DM2012), Personal, Social and Emotional Development: Self-confidence and self-awareness (birth-11m).
This is a framework-native statement capturing early learning of social contingency and agency as observable behaviour.
Developmental research
Tronick, E., Als, H., Adamson, L., Wise, S., & Brazelton, T. B. (1978). The Infant's Response to Entrapment between Contradictory Messages in Face-to-Face Interaction.
Still-face findings highlight infants' expectations of contingent social responding and their active attempts to re-engage others, aligning with learning that their actions affect others.
Five-level rubric (detailed)ShowHide
The full progression underlying the three levels above. Used by the platform’s reasoning agent when planning activities and observations.
Not Yet
Shows limited evidence of noticing social cause-and-effect between their own vocalisations/actions and another person's response. Signals are mostly reflexive or undifferentiated (e.g., general crying) with little change based on others' reactions.
Makes similar cries/sounds regardless of whether an adult responds, with little shift in gaze or body when someone engages.
Does not increase attention or social signalling when an adult enters the space or speaks to them.
Rarely repeats a sound/action after an adult reacts (no clear "I did that" pattern).
Emerging
Occasionally notices that a sound or movement gets a response (e.g., adult turns, smiles) and may repeat it once, but the pattern is inconsistent. Social responses sometimes change the baby's behaviour (briefly more alert or calmer).
Briefly stills or looks toward an adult after the adult responds to a sound or movement.
Repeats a squeal/coo once after an adult smiles or copies them, then stops.
Changes facial expression (smile/alert) when a familiar adult reacts to their vocalisation.
Developing
Repeats sounds/actions that reliably get a response (e.g., cooing to re-engage, kicking arms to start a game) and pauses as if waiting. Shows early turn-taking in simple routines with familiar adults.
Vocalises, then pauses and looks at the adult as if waiting for a reply, and vocalises again after the reply.
Repeats an action (e.g., banging, kicking, arm-waving) that makes an adult respond (talk back, laugh, re-engage).
In a familiar game (tickle/peekaboo), makes a sound/movement that seems to request "again".
Secure
Uses voice and actions more intentionally to influence others (gain attention, continue interaction), adjusting intensity/type of signal based on what happens. Participates in back-and-forth exchanges (vocal/gesture) with clear contingent responding.
Uses different signals for different social effects (e.g., soft coo to invite, louder call to regain attention) and watches the adult's response.
Sustains a back-and-forth vocal exchange for several turns with a familiar adult.
When an adult pauses, increases signalling (looks, reaches, vocalises) to re-start interaction rather than disengaging immediately.
Reflexive
Generalises social cause-and-effect across people and contexts, initiating interaction, varying signals to elicit specific responses, and sustaining longer reciprocal exchanges. May use sounds/gestures to re-start a paused routine (e.g., peekaboo) and to include others.
Initiates interaction with multiple people by vocalising and then shifting gaze between them, as if inviting a response.
Varies pitch/volume/gesture to get a specific reaction (smile, pick-up, continue play) and persists if the first attempt fails.
Uses early gesture/voice combinations (e.g., reaching + vocalising, showing object + sound) to direct others' attention.
