Question

Surendra's newborn son has no idea of his own self. This refers to which of the following?
(i) He is unaware of various objects in his environment, such as a chair or a table in his room.
(ii) He is able to cry when he is hungry.
(iii) Sometimes he smiles when he sleeps.
(iv) People around him are part of his experiences. However, he cannot gather any meaning from it.

• A. (i) and (ii)
• B. (i) and (iv)
• C. (iii) and (iv)
• D. (ii) and (iii)

Hint:

Remember that self-awareness develops gradually. Newborns are mostly driven by reflexes and do not have self-awareness yet.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

(i) He is unaware of various objects in his environment, such as a chair or a table in his room: Newborn infants at this stage lack a sense of their own self as a separate entity, and hence are unable to perceive the external objects in their surroundings in a meaningful way. They don't have an understanding of the distinction between self and environment.
(ii) He is able to cry when he is hungry: Crying when hungry is a basic, innate reflex and is not related to self-awareness. It is an involuntary action.
(iii) Sometimes he smiles when he sleeps: Smiling during sleep is another involuntary reflex seen in newborns and not related to any self-awareness.
(iv) People around him are part of his experiences. However, he cannot gather any meaning from it: At this stage of life, people are part of their sensorial world but they cannot create any meaning or make sense of the external world. They are simply part of their sensory input, which is not directly related to self-awareness.