Innate Visual Form Preferences in the Imprinting Behavior of Hatchling Chicks

Abstract

Abstract1. Dark-reared socially naive hatchling chicks 13 to 16 hours old were exposed to one of ten two-dimensional forms in an imprinting procedure. Two different imprinting procedures were used. 2. The relative effectiveness of the ten forms, from high to low, in eliciting affiliative behavior was as follows: square, pentagon, oval, diamond, triangle, serrated circle, star, rectangle, circle, and hexagon. 3. These preferences were compared with the pecking preferences found for the same shapes that have been previously reported by GOODWIN & HESS (190). 4. A comparison of affiliative and pecking behavior was made.