What outcome occurred when Konrad Lorenz released his groups of geese?

• A. The geese followed their biological mother
• B. The geese ignored their biological mother
• C. The geese flew away immediately
• D. The geese formed a new group

Answer: (B)

When Konrad Lorenz released his groups of geese, they displayed a phenomenon known as imprinting. This behavior occurs shortly after birth when certain animals, including geese, form attachments to the first moving object they encounter, which is typically their mother. In Lorenz's experiments, he found that the goslings would follow him instead of their biological mother after being exposed to him shortly after hatching.

The process of imprinting highlights critical periods of development when young animals develop certain attachments and preferences that can significantly impact their future behavior and social interactions. The fact that the geese disregarded their biological mother to follow Lorenz underscores the strength of the imprinting behavior, demonstrating how certain experiences can shape the behavior and social bonds of animals in very specific ways. This finding contributes to our understanding of attachment and bonding in both animals and humans.