Rodney was raised on a farm in Utah and enjoys the taste of beef liver cooked with onions. Sarah was raised in New York City and would never think of eating beef liver, but she very much enjoys sushi. What explains their differences in food preference? a. behavioral reinforcement b. differences in attachment styles c. biological differences in their taste buds d. social referencing

Social referencing is exemplified as the process through which the infants become able to understand or perceive the world that surrounds them. In this process, the infants show intuitive displays(by noticing the facial expressions of people around him/her and taking decisions accordingly) like an adult in order to regulate or control their behavior or conduct towards the environmental situation, object, or people.

In the given situation, the food preferences of Rodney and Sarah reflects that how they both have perceived the world surrounding them and how their preferences or behaviors have been emulated by it. They have observed the world around them and have been affected by it as they took cues(their taste preferences or choice decisions reflect references from society) from the adult people around them in the environment. Thus, option D is the correct answer.