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Recovery from experimentally induced problem‐solving deficits in neonatal peking ducklings as a function of environmental stimulation
Author(s) -
Heaton Marieta B.,
Klein Steven L.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
developmental psychobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1098-2302
pISSN - 0012-1630
DOI - 10.1002/dev.420140108
Subject(s) - stimulation , task (project management) , psychology , hatching , physiology , developmental psychology , anesthesia , medicine , audiology , biology , neuroscience , zoology , management , economics
Abstract Neonatal Peking ducklings were reared in 3 different environments containing varied light and sound stimulation. One group was exposed to the stimulative environment only during the last 3 prenatal days, 1 group was placed in the stimulative environment at the time of hatching, and the 3rd group was exposed to the stimulative environment both pre‐ and postnatally. No differences in performance in a detour learning task were noted between controls and experimentals from the 1st 2 groups (prenatal stimulation only and postnatal stimulation only); however, the group receiving both pre‐ and postnatal stimulation solved the detour task significantly faster than their controls. This learning improvement as a function of the stimulative environment represents a partial recovery from the deficit produced as a result of the experimental paradigm in which the shell covering the air space was replaced with clear plastic wrap, a procedure which has been shown to reduce oxygen consumption and lead to learning retardation.