A researcher found that the likelihood that a duckling would imprint depended on its age. After hatching, ducklings were kept isolated for different lengths of time and then placed with an adult duck. The imprinting data appear in this table.

Question

Question 1
At what age is a duckling most likely to imprint?(1 point)
Responses

18 hours
18 hours

24 hours
24 hours

2 hours
2 hours

15 hours
15 hours
Question 2
In a natural setting, all the eggs in a duck nest usually hatch within a few hours. Shortly after all the ducklings have hatched, and periodically thereafter, the mother duck will lead them all to a food source and then back to the nest to rest. Given this situation, which ducklings are most likely to imprint on their mother?(1 point)
Responses

Only those that are less than 6 hrs old
Only those that are less than 6 hrs old

Only those that are over one day old
Only those that are over one day old

Only those that are 10-18 hrs will successfully imprint.
Only those that are 10-18 hrs will successfully imprint.

All ducklings will eventually imprint because of the repeated activity during the critical period
All ducklings will eventually imprint because of the repeated activity during the critical period

Answer 1

Based on the information provided, here are the responses:

Question 1: At what age is a duckling most likely to imprint?

• Response: 18 hours

Question 2: In a natural setting, all the eggs in a duck nest usually hatch within a few hours. Shortly after all the ducklings have hatched, and periodically thereafter, the mother duck will lead them all to a food source and then back to the nest to rest. Given this situation, which ducklings are most likely to imprint on their mother?

• Response: Only those that are 10-18 hrs will successfully imprint.

These answers reflect the understanding that imprinting is a sensitive process that can depend on the age of the duckling when exposed to potential caregivers.