Final answer:
A baby transitioning from a nipple to a sippy cup demonstrates developmental progression from reflex behaviors, crucial for early survival, to more advanced motor skills and independence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The transition of a baby from using a nipple to a sippy cup is an example of developmental progression away from instinctive reflex behaviors. During infancy, babies exhibit innate reflexes such as the sucking reflex and the grasp reflex, which are crucial for their survival.
Newborn reflexes like the sucking reflex, where infants automatically suckle anything that touches their mouths, allow for efficient feeding, thereby increasing the chances of infant survival. Similarly, the grasp reflex, which causes babies to instinctively grasp objects placed in their palms, may have been advantageous for early human infants to cling to their mothers, thus promoting close maternal contact and protection.
As children grow and develop, they gradually move beyond these reflexive behaviors. Transitioning to a sippy cup represents an advancement in motor skills and independence, as the child begins to learn and adopt more complex coordinated actions that replace primitive reflexes.