Bonding and Imprinting

What are the terms that describe the early development of newborns regarding their dependency on parents?

Altricial and Precocial.

What is altricial development?

Altricial young are born early in development, unable to walk, have undeveloped sensory systems, and do not interact socially until they can receive signals.

What is precocial development?

Precocial young are born late in development, capable of locomotion, and can seek and ingest food with little help from parents.

Which type of young do carnivores typically have?

Carnivores typically have altricial young.

Which type of young do prey animals typically have?

Prey animals typically have precocial young.

What is imprinting?

Imprinting is a phase-sensitive learning process where an animal learns characteristics of a stimulus during a particular age or life stage.

What is filial imprinting?

Filial imprinting is where a newborn establishes a behavior pattern of recognition or attraction to another animal of its kind or a substitute/object identified as a parent.

What is sexual imprinting?

Sexual imprinting is where a young animal learns the characteristics of a desirable mate.

Who demonstrated filial imprinting with incubator-hatched geese?

Konrad Lorenz.

What was the significance of Klaus Immelmann's case study with Zebra and Bengalese finches?

It demonstrated that finches raised by Bengalese parents preferred to court Bengalese finches due to early experiences.

Why is bonding important in animal behaviour?

Bonding forms an attachment with others of the same species, ensuring survival through teaching, protection, and courtship.

What are some methods of bonding in animals?

Communication can occur through tactile (grooming), chemical (scents), and auditory (vocal calls) means.

What is a fun fact about salmon migration?

After hatching, salmon migrate to the open ocean and later return to their exact home stream to spawn based on olfactory cues.

How does imprinting differ from bonding?

Imprinting is innate and a survival mechanism, while bonding is formed and essential in later life stages.