Abstract
RECENT experimental studies of olfactory ‘imprinting’ in infant mammals have typically utilised relatively long term exposure to the training odour, during which that odour could become associated with such conventional reinforcers as food and warmth1–6. Here we report an instance of mammalian olfactory imprinting which is truly analogous to classical avian imprinting, that is, the imprinting exposure being of a relatively short duration with no readily identifiable conventional reinforcer being present at the same time with the imprinted odour. The subject species, Acomys cahirinus (spiny mouse), is a murid rodent whose precocial infants possess functional motor and sensory capabilities within hours of birth7,8.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Carter, C. S., Anim. Behav., 20, 54–60 (1972).
Carter, C. S., and Marr, J. N., Anim. Behav., 18, 238–244 (1970).
Fox, M. W., and Himwich, W. A., Fedn Proc., 24, 522 (1965).
Mainardi, D., Marsan, M., and Pasquali, A., Atti. Soc. ital. Sci. nat., 104, 325–338 (1965).
Marr, J. N., and Gardner, L. E., jun., J. Genet. Psychol., 107, 167–174 (1965).
Müller-Schwarze, D., and Müller-Schwarze, C., Nature, 229, 55–56 (1971).
Ewer, R. F., Ethology of Mammals (Logos Press, London, 1968).
Ruch, W., Rev. Suisse Zool., 74 (3), 566–569 (1967).
Sluckin, W., Imprinting and Early Learning (2nd ed.), (Methuen, London, 1972).
Fullerton, C., Berryman, J. C., and Porter, R. H., Behaviour, XLVIII, 145–156 (1974).
Leon, M., and Moltz, H., Physiol. Behav., 8, 683–686 (1972).
Gottlieb, G., Development of Species Identification in Birds (University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1971).
Porter, R. H., and Stettner, L. J., J. comp. Physiol. Psychol., 66, 808–811 (1968).
Sluckin, W., Nature, 220, 1148 (1968).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
PORTER, R., ETSCORN, F. Olfactory imprinting resulting from brief exposure in Acomys cahirinus. Nature 250, 732–733 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1038/250732a0
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/250732a0
This article is cited by
-
The human axillary organ: An evolutionary puzzle
Human Evolution (1998)
-
Odor-guided behavior in mammals
Experientia (1986)
-
Reproductive endocrine influences upon olfactory perception
Journal of Chemical Ecology (1986)
-
Incest avoidance and bonding between siblings in gerbils
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology (1984)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
