AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Imprinting refers to a critical period of time early in an animal’s life when it forms attachments and develops a concept of its own identity. Birds and mammals are born with a pre-programmed drive to imprint onto their mother.

Detailed explanation-2: -Imprinting and subsequent latchment is a primary stage of emotional and neurobehavioural development in which the infant recognises its mother through oral tactile memory for continuing evolutionary survival.

Detailed explanation-3: -To imprint is to mark or stamp something, like with the name of a publisher. It also can refer to any kind of impression or influence. You can imprint or leave imprints-the word is happy as a verb or a noun. You can literally imprint something with a stamp of your initials.

Detailed explanation-4: -For example, after birth or hatching, the newborn follows another animal that it recognizes or marks as its mother (filial imprinting). Another example is when a young goose after hatching can follow its future mating partner and when mature it will start to mate with its imprinted partner (sexual imprinting).