Final answer:
Yes, toddlers can understand right from wrong. They develop autonomy and learn to make choices, which involves understanding what is right or wrong. Toddlers can also develop separation anxiety and stranger anxiety.
Step-by-step explanation:
Yes, toddlers can start to understand right from wrong. During the toddler stage (ages 1-3 years), children develop a sense of autonomy and learn to control their actions and interact with the environment. They begin to show preferences and make choices, which involves understanding what is right or wrong.
For example, a 2-year-old child who wants to choose her own clothes and dress herself is demonstrating a sense of autonomy. While her outfit choices may not always be appropriate, her ability to make decisions affects her sense of independence. If denied the opportunity to act on her environment, she may doubt her abilities, leading to low self-esteem and shame.
Anxiety that toddlers can develop includes separation anxiety, in which they fear being separated from their caregivers, and stranger anxiety, which is a fear of unfamiliar people.