Imprinting effect: Why do newborn ducklings regard the first creature they see as their mother?

Ducklings are lovely waterfowl, and their living habits and behavioral characteristics have always attracted people's attention. There is a phenomenon that makes people very curious: Why do newly born ducklings regard the first moving object they see as their mother? This phenomenon is called the imprinting effect, which is an important concept in animal behavior and a critical period for the development of animal intelligence. This article will introduce the discovery process, principle and significance of the imprinting effect to help everyone understand the mystery of ducklings recognizing their mothers.

1. Discovery of the Imprinting Effect

The imprinting effect was first discovered and described by Austrian biologist Konrad Lorenz in the 1930s. He conducted an unusual experiment on gray-legged geese. He divided the eggs laid by gray-legged geese into two groups for incubation. The first group was incubated by the mother goose. The first moving object that the goslings saw was their mother, so they followed her wherever she went. The second group of eggs was placed in an artificial incubator. After the goslings were born, they were not allowed to see their mother, but Lorenz himself. So wherever Lorenz went, the goslings followed him, and the goslings regarded Lorenz as their "mother". Lorenz then put the two groups of goslings together, put them under a box, and let the mother goose watch from a distance. When Lorenz lifted the box, the frightened goslings ran in two directions: those that remembered their mother ran towards the mother goose, and those that remembered Lorenz ran towards Lorenz.

This experiment shows that the grey geese have a period of recognition after birth. During this period, the first moving object that appears in front of them will be recognized as "mother", and this recognition is permanent and cannot be changed even if they see their real mother again later. This phenomenon is called the imprinting effect, also known as the imprinting effect or the imprinting effect.

2. The principle of the imprint effect

Imprinting is a special form of learning. It is different from general conditioned reflexes or habit formation. It only occurs during a specific stage of animal intelligence development, which is called the sensitive period or critical period. The sensitive period refers to the period when animals are particularly sensitive to certain stimuli and easy to learn. If this period is missed, it will be difficult or impossible for animals to learn the corresponding behavior. The length and start time of the sensitive period vary depending on the animal species and the type of behavior. Generally speaking, the more complex the behavior, the longer the sensitive period, and the simpler the behavior, the shorter the sensitive period. For example, mother imprinting occurs 10-16 hours after birth for chicks and 3-7 weeks after birth for puppies.

There are two necessary conditions for the imprinting effect to occur: first, the stimulus must be active, and second, the stimulus must have a certain kinship or similarity with the animal. This is because the imprinting effect is an instinctive behavior, and its purpose is to ensure the survival and reproduction of animals. Through the imprinting effect, animals can quickly establish a connection with their mothers or their own kind, thereby obtaining protection and guidance, and learning skills to adapt to the environment. If an animal imprints on an unsuitable object, such as a person who cannot fly or a car that cannot swim, then it will face great danger.

3. The significance of the imprinting effect

The imprinting effect is an important discovery in animal behavior. It reveals the laws and characteristics of animal intelligence development and provides useful inspiration for human training and protection of animals. By using the imprinting effect, people can cultivate some special animals, such as guide dogs, police dogs, and falconers. People can also use the imprinting effect to help some endangered or extinct animals restore their populations and natural habits, such as giant pandas, red-crowned cranes, and California condors.

Imprinting effect exists not only in animals, but also in humans. Human babies also have a recognition period after birth, and they will develop attachment and trust to the first person they come into contact with. This attachment and trust have an important impact on the growth and development of babies. If babies do not receive enough care and touch during the recognition period, they may have psychological problems such as emotional loss, inferiority, and loneliness. Therefore, parents should have as much intimate contact with their babies as possible after they are born to give them warmth and a sense of security.