A nurse is teaching the parents of a 4-month-old infant about promoting psychosocial development. Which parental behavior best supports the infant in achieving the expected psychosocial milestone at this age?

A. Limiting social interactions to reduce overstimulation during early infancy: While minimizing overstimulation is sometimes necessary, limiting social interaction can hinder the development of trust and attachment, which are critical psychosocial milestones at 4 months. B. Responding promptly and calmly when the infant cries to foster trust and security: At 4 months, infants are developing a sense of trust versus mistrust. Consistent, sensitive responses to the infant’s needs help establish secure attachment and a foundation for healthy psychosocial development. C. Encouraging the infant to explore objects independently without interaction: Independent exploration is limited at this age, and social interaction is crucial for developing attachment and communication skills, so this does not support expected psychosocial milestones. D. Allowing the infant to cry for extended periods to encourage self-soothing: Infants this young are not developmentally capable of self-soothing for long periods. Ignoring their cries can undermine trust and security, which are central at this stage.