Shifts of Colour Preference in Day-Old Chicks after Training and Delay

Abstract

One-day old chicks were first tested for choice between red and blue, and subsequently exposed to one or the other of the two colours for 15 min. or for 2 hr.; they were then again tested for choice between red and blue either 5 min. or 1 hr. after “training.” It was found that there was a marked shift of preference toward red in red-exposed birds, and some shift in grey-exposed controls, but no significant shift of preference in the blue-exposed Ss. Some possible interpretations of these findings are suggested.