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Some Attempts to Demonstrate Exploratory Behavior in Chickens

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Abstract

Both 14-and 55-day-old chickens were provided with a choice between novel and familiar environments under grouped test conditions. Despite manipulations of habituation periods, food deprivation, and contrast between the two test settings, no preference for novelty was observed. A mild preference for familiarity was shown by chickens habituated to the familiar side for 90 min., but this disappeared after 22 h. habituation. In all conditions a strong preference was exhibited for the environment in which the test period began. General methodological problems in measuring “exploratory” responses in this species are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, W.A., 6009, Australia

    G. J. Syme & Lesley A. Syme

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  1. G. J. Syme
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  2. Lesley A. Syme
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Additional information

These data were collected while the first author held a N.Z.U.G.C. postdoctoral Fellowship at the Ruakura Agricultural Research Centre, Hamilton, New Zealand.

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Syme, G.J., Syme, L.A. Some Attempts to Demonstrate Exploratory Behavior in Chickens. Psychol Rec 25, 363–371 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03394328

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03394328

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