Social referencing is the process by which infants and toddlers make decisions on how to react in situations by reading into an adult’s facial expressions, body language, posture and muscle tone. Young children, usually infants, when facing a new situation are normally unsure how to react. In these situations they usually have the tendency to look at their caregiver and search for cues that will tell them how to respond to the situation. Adults use social referencing to calm fears, warn them of danger or even introduce a new kind of food. Social referencing by adults greatly influences the children’s feelings. Therefore, it is very important that social referencing be used very wisely and not be overused to override the children’s true experiences
