The development and modification of object preferences in domestic white leghorn chicks.
This study examined in domestic chicks the time-course of adaptation to a new object after having established strong preferences for a previous stimulus (during the first 3 days of life). By interchanging the stimuli to which the animal was exposed, and by confining the animal exclusively with the new object for some period of time, the new preference was expected to develop as a function of the duration of exposure. The results confirm that expectation with a monotonic increase in preference as a function of hours of exposure. The establishment of a preference for the new object was rapid, as indicated by a significant shift in preference after 5 hr.
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002645:Chickens; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003118:Color Perception; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological; D007173:Imprinting, Psychological; D009769:Object Attachment; D013997:Time Factors