What term describes the awareness that an infant’s needs will be met?

The term that best describes the awareness that an infant’s needs will be met is "trust." This concept is central to the emotional and psychological development of infants. Trust develops during the first few months of life as caregivers consistently respond to an infant's needs, providing food, comfort, and security. When an infant learns that they can depend on their caregivers to meet these needs reliably and responded to positively, they begin to develop a sense of trust in their environment and the people within it.

This foundational trust is crucial, as it influences the infant's future relationships and their ability to feel secure in the world around them. Trust lays the groundwork for healthy emotional development, fostering the idea that others are reliable and that the infant can express their needs without fear. It allows infants to explore their environment, knowing they have a secure base to return to for comfort and support.

While bonding and attachment also relate to the infant-caregiver relationship, they often focus more on the emotional connections and strong, affectionate ties that develop over time rather than specifically the confidence in need fulfillment. Dependency refers to the reliance on others, which is a broader concept and does not encapsulate the same sense of security and assurance that trust conveys in this context.