ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the role of early experience in the development of social behavior in birds and mammals, an area with a long history of inquiry. Research on imprinting in birds was preeminent during most of the twentieth century, but it has become less conspicuous in recent years. Research on early development in mammals and on the vocal behavior of birds continues to attract substantial attention. Imprinting can be treated as an example of perceptual learning because it involves the development of object recognition by mere exposure. The two most important criteria used to identify potential cases of imprinting are: learning by simple exposure, and during a sensitive period. Do other species show filial imprinting similar to that of precocial birds? Several instances of early learning seem to fit these criteria, but similar behaviors do not necessarily mean common mechanisms.
