Unimodal sensory experience interferes with responsiveness to the spatial contiguity of multimodal maternal cues in bobwhite quail chicks

Author(s): Sleigh, M. J., Lickliter, R., Lewkowicz, D. J.

Journal/Book: Infant Behav Develop. 1998; 21: 100 Prospect St, PO Box 811, Stamford, CT 06904-0811. Ablex Publ Corp. 397-409.

Abstract: This study manipulated the relationship between maternal auditory and visual stimulation to examine how bobwhite quail chicks' postnatal sensory experience influences the emergence of early intersensory integration. Results revealed that chicks reared with temporally integrated, temporally sequential, or temporally separated maternal audio-visual cues subsequently preferred spatially congruent maternal auditory and visual cues over spatially disparate maternal cues, suggesting that the temporal relationship of maternal multimodal stimulation is not critical to chicks' emerging sensitivity to spatial contiguity. In contrast, chicks reared with unimodal maternal auditory cues or maternal visual cues following hatching did not prefer spatially congruent maternal auditory and visual cues over spatially disparate maternal stimulation. These results indicate that bobwhite chicks require postnatal exposure to multimodal (auditory and visual) stimulation to exhibit species-typical responsiveness to the spatial colocation of multimodal maternal stimuli. Experience with unimodal maternal stimulation (only auditory or visual) was not sufficent to foster chicks' sensitivity to spatial colocation in the days following hatching. Developmental processes involving both auditory and visual experience appear to underlie the emergence of early intersensory integration.

Note: Article Columbus RF, Virginia Polytech Inst & State Univ, Dept Psychol, Blacksburg,VA 24061 USA

Keyword(s): perceptual development; intersensory responsiveness; spatial sensitivity; early experience; VISUAL EXPERIENCE; INFANTS RESPONSE; AUDITORY SPACE; PLASTICITY; DOMINANCE; MAP

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