Stranger Anxiety


Many eight or nine month old babies show fear in the company of unfamiliar people. Just as she understands she is separate from you, she also understands she is separate from other people, and she is not quite sure how to size up these new faces. This shyness is understandable. Babies differ in intensity of separation fears in the same manner as they show difference in levels of stranger anxiety. Some react in a dramatic manner to a new face, often twisting and fidgeting or clutching a parent in fear. Some show neutral reaction such as a watchful glance or stare. Others flirt a bit, looking at the stranger until he looks back, then glancing away and back, away and back. They usually warm up in a few minutes, though at arms length. Nearly all babies exhibit some wariness. A study conducted showed that although outwardly some babies did not show fear, they like the rest had accelerated heartbeats (a sign of fear) in the presence of strangers. Several factors contribute to the difference in reactions. One is baby' general temperament; some babies are just more easy going than others. Another is how a child is reared. Babies who have been cared for by a number of caretakers while young seem more comfortable with strangers. Another finding seems to draw comparisons between genders; with all other things being equal, boys tend to be a little fearful of strangers than girls. How the stranger behaves also goes into account. The initial wariness in baby is greatly reduced when the unfamiliar person gears his behavior to the baby's cues and engages baby in play.