I read this study in my textbook about classical ethology that I thought was so cool. So basically, the Ethological (also called evolutional) viewpoint on development suggests that studying the bioevolutionary bases of behaviour is important to understanding how we develop over time. We are born with certain "biologically programmed" behaviours that are products of evolution and are adaptive in that they contribute to our survival. Konrad Lorenz was a zoologist who came up with the basis of this discipline by studying imprinting on geese. Imprinting is a point in a person/animals life where they enter a certain stage where learning occurs, and this stage in life is supposed to be entirely inherit and not permeable to outside influences or behaviours.
Nidifugus Geese show filial imprinting when they are first born because as they are born the first thing that they see is their mother, they then follow her around and learn about the world around them through her. She provides them food and safety from predators. What Konrad Lorenz did to study imprinting was he waited for a mother goose to give birth to its babies and then he made sure that the first thing the baby geese saw was him, so that they imprinted on him. The flock of geese then followed him around and considered him their mother. I want to do that. I want to be a mother goose.
No comments:
Post a Comment