Effectiveness of Different Colors in the Elicitation and Development of Approach Behavior in Chicks

Abstract

Episodic and developmental relationships between stimulus colors and neonatal approach behavior were studied in 768 chicks. Simple two-dimensional flashing stimulus patterns of five different colors (white, blue, green, yellow and red) were used for eliciting approach behavior in naive dark-raised subjects, in subjects having controlled prior experience with achromatic stimuli only, and in subjects having controlled prior experience with these five colors at two different intensity levels. The results indicate significant differences between responding to green and responding to other colors. Differences were also found in the development of approach behavior after exposure to green and the development of approach behavior after exposure to white, blue, yellow and red.