| Abstract: | Ambulation latencies of 2- and 7-day old chicks individually placed in a novel environment were measured (1) in presence of distress calls; (2) in presence of trills of pleasure; (3) without acoustic stimuli. Results showed that in 2-day old chicks there were no differences in ambulation latencies between chicks tested with and those tested without acoustic stimuli. In 7-day old chicks ambulation latencies were higher in chicks tested with distress calls or trills of pleasure than in chicks tested without conspecific calls. Results are discussed on the basis of the Gallup & Suarez 's (1980) hypothesis that open-field behaviour in chicks represents a compromise between opposing tendencies to reinstate social contact with imprinted companions and to reduce detection in the face of possible predation. |
