Sexual imprinting: A sensitive period in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

Investigated the effects of varying age levels at which male Japanese quail were exposed to an adult female albino conspecific for 10 days. Six groups of 10 Ss each were exposed to albinos for 1-10, 6-15, 11-20, 16-25, and 21-30 days posthatch or were reared with normal age mates for 10 days. Experimental males were tested in a simultaneous choice test between an albino and a normal female. Ss that selected albinos in at least 8 of 10 trials were considered to be imprinted to albinos. With that criterion, a sensitive period for sexual imprinting was demonstrated. Data do not support an association-learning view of the imprinting process, and they describe a sensitive period of considerably greater length than K. Lorenz's (1935) original view of the imprinting process. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)