Which of the following cultural practices has been shown to result in earlier development of motor skills in infants?

• A. Discouraging early walking by waiting until children show interest on their own, as practiced in some Scandinavian cultures
• B. Limiting infants' movement by using restrictive baby carriers, as practiced in some Western cultures
• C. Delaying crawling by keeping infants swaddled for most of the day, as practiced in some Central Asian cultures
• D. Encouraging infants to walk by providing daily upright exercise and massage, as practiced in some West African cultures

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that motor skill development in infants can be influenced by cultural practices that either encourage or restrict movement.
2. Recognize that practices which provide infants with more opportunities for movement and physical activity tend to promote earlier development of motor skills.
3. Identify that encouraging infants to walk by providing daily upright exercise and massage increases muscle strength and coordination, facilitating earlier motor milestones.
4. Contrast this with practices that limit movement, such as swaddling or restrictive carriers, which tend to delay motor skill development.
5. Conclude that among the options, the cultural practice involving daily upright exercise and massage is associated with earlier motor skill development in infants.