Abstract
Neonates of different species are born with a set of predispositions that influence their early orienting responses toward the first stimuli encountered in their life. Human neonates and domestic chicks exhibit several similarities in the predisposition for attending to objects that move with speed changes, face-like stimuli and biological motion. Although early predispositions are connected to physiological development, little is known on the temporal course of early predispositions (whether they are stable or change in time) and on the associated genetic variability. To address these issues, we tested the preference for objects that change in speed vs. linear motion in three chicken breeds (Padovana, Polverara and Robusta maculata) within one day after hatching and three days after hatching. We found that the predisposition to preferentially attend to changes in speed is shared by different breeds on the first day of life and that it disappears by day three. These results indicate the existence of a short and transient time window of early predispositions that does not depend on visual experience.
Highlights
IntroductionThat they decline at an age in which volitional control in approach responses takes over
Constant speed well, and that they decline at an age in which volitional control in approach responses takes over
Post-hoc t tests between breeds at each time point revealed only one significant difference, between Polverara and Padovana breed at 0–10 minutes (t55.19 = −2.042, p = 0.046)
Summary
That they decline at an age in which volitional control in approach responses takes over Such a mechanism would be fixed at the species level, showing little genetic variability. To investigate whether the predisposition to orient towards changes in speed and its temporal course have genetic variability, we conducted the study in three breeds of domestic chickens that have been kept genetically isolated for 20 years in the same farm: Padovana, Polverara and Robusta maculata. This arrangement ensures that differences between breeds are not due to environmental differences
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