Learning of Behavior
Imprinting: early age parent-offspring interactions determine some behavior (e.g. Konrad Lorenz’ geese); happens during sensitive phase or critical period (13-16 hrs after hatching)
Early mother-offspring interaction essential for normal physical and mental development (e.g. poor songs in birds isolated after hatching)
Touch appears most critical type of interaction in mammals(e.g. rhesus monkeys prefer cloth over wire “mom”; pre-born children develop faster when massaged)
Sexual imprinting (direct sexual activities only towards members of own species) also occurs during early childhood
Instincts: genetic boundaries towards learning(e.g. most birds can only learn their own song even when raised by other birds; pigeons can learn to associate food with colors but not with sound [seeds do not make sounds], but can associate danger with sound but not colors)