AUDITORY VERSUS VISUAL FLICKER IN DIRECTING APPROACH RESPONSE OF DOMESTIC CHICKS

Based on the earlier development of the chick embryo's auditory system than its visual system, it was predicted that auditory stimuli should be prepotent over visual stimuli in directing the young chick's approach response. In Exp. I the behavior of 200 domestic White Rock chicks to auditory and visual flicker determined which stimuli were equally attractive in the 2 sensory modalities. In Exp. II matched and optimal flicker rates in both modalities were presented to 120 chicks in simultaneous auditory vs. visual choice tests. The auditory stimuli were preferred over the visual stimuli under all test conditions. The results support the view that the young chick's auditory system is behaviorally prepotent over its visual system, at least in initiating and guiding the chick's approach response. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1969 American Psychological Association.