Which psychologist is associated with the idea that infants can express several basic emotions as early as 10 weeks of age?

• A. Izard
• B. Erik Erikson
• C. Paul Ekman
• D. Charles Darwin

Answer: (A)

Infants can show a small but distinct set of basic emotions very early in life, and this idea is tied to the work of Carroll Izard. He proposed that basic emotions are biologically based and have recognizable facial expressions that appear in infancy, with several of these emotions identifiable by about 10 weeks. This differential emotions theory emphasizes that a foundational repertoire of emotions exists from early on, rather than emotions developing only later through learning.

Other figures contributed to different aspects of emotion research. Darwin argued that facial expressions are universal and evolved, and Ekman expanded on universality and cross-cultural recognition, mainly studying adults. Erikson focused on psychosocial development across the lifespan, not the early emergence of basic infant emotions.