In this current I tested newly hatched domestic chicks in their first stages of development, to assess their performance in two testing paradigms that in previous studies had led to different results when administered to separate groups of animals: spontaneous preference following 1 hour habituation, or prolonged exposure. In the present study each chick underwent both paradigms, therefore it was tested twice and in both cases the chick was presented with the numerical comparison of 5vs9 objects. Chicks were first tested following 1 hour habituation to heterogeneous sets of 2D elements. Based on previous studies I expected to observe a preference for the set of 5 elements. Results confirmed this hypothesis. Thereafter each chick was exposed for approximately 12 hours to a set of 7 elements (red balls) and through filial imprinting the chick was expected to learn the features of this set, before being tested again in the 5vs9 discrimination. However, the test following prolonged exposure (imprinting) did not result in a significant choice, differently from previous studies in which chicks in this test preferred the numerosity 9. The difference could depend on the two conditions and tests interfering with one another, preventing the understanding of the underlying differences among the two paradigms.
In this current study I tested newly hatched domestic chicks in their first stages of development, to assess their performance in two testing paradigms that in previous studies had led to different results when administered to separate groups of animals: spontaneous preference following 1 hour habituation, or prolonged exposure. In the present study each chick underwent both paradigms, therefore it was tested twice and in both cases the chick was presented with the numerical comparison of 5vs9 objects. Chicks were first tested following 1 hour habituation to heterogeneous sets of 2D elements. Based on previous studies I expected to observe a preference for the set of 5 elements. Results confirmed this hypothesis. Thereafter each chick was exposed for approximately 12 hours to a set of 7 elements (red balls) and through filial imprinting the chick was expected to learn the features of this set, before being tested again in the 5vs9 discrimination. However, the test following prolonged exposure (imprinting) did not result in a significant choice, differently from previous studies in which chicks in this test preferred the numerosity 9. The difference could depend on the two conditions and tests interfering with one another, preventing the understanding of the underlying differences among the two paradigms.
Domestic Chicks’ Preferential Choices for Sets of Odd Numerosity
ROMERO ALCOBER, AREIA
2023/2024
Abstract
In this current I tested newly hatched domestic chicks in their first stages of development, to assess their performance in two testing paradigms that in previous studies had led to different results when administered to separate groups of animals: spontaneous preference following 1 hour habituation, or prolonged exposure. In the present study each chick underwent both paradigms, therefore it was tested twice and in both cases the chick was presented with the numerical comparison of 5vs9 objects. Chicks were first tested following 1 hour habituation to heterogeneous sets of 2D elements. Based on previous studies I expected to observe a preference for the set of 5 elements. Results confirmed this hypothesis. Thereafter each chick was exposed for approximately 12 hours to a set of 7 elements (red balls) and through filial imprinting the chick was expected to learn the features of this set, before being tested again in the 5vs9 discrimination. However, the test following prolonged exposure (imprinting) did not result in a significant choice, differently from previous studies in which chicks in this test preferred the numerosity 9. The difference could depend on the two conditions and tests interfering with one another, preventing the understanding of the underlying differences among the two paradigms.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12608/81111