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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Evaluation of Auditory Brainstem Response in Chicken Hatchlings

Evaluation of Auditory Brainstem Response in Chicken Hatchlings

Published on: April 1, 2022

Not Just Rocked, but Delighted: Rhythmic Passive Movement Induces Positive States in Chicks.

Cinzia Chiandetti¹, Andrea Dissegna¹, Lorenzo Scalera²

¹Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

|June 16, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Rhythmic passive movement soothes distressed chicks and can also evoke enjoyment, suggesting conserved mechanisms for rhythm-based affect regulation across vertebrates. This study explored calming and pleasurable effects in birds.

Keywords:

Gallus gallus domesticus affective state arousal carrying locomotor play rocking vocalizations

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Probing the Roles of Physical Forces in Early Chick Embryonic Morphogenesis

Probing the Roles of Physical Forces in Early Chick Embryonic Morphogenesis

Published on: June 5, 2018

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Last Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Evaluation of Auditory Brainstem Response in Chicken Hatchlings

Evaluation of Auditory Brainstem Response in Chicken Hatchlings

Published on: April 1, 2022

Probing the Roles of Physical Forces in Early Chick Embryonic Morphogenesis

Probing the Roles of Physical Forces in Early Chick Embryonic Morphogenesis

Published on: June 5, 2018

Area of Science:

Ethology
Neuroscience
Comparative Psychology

Background:

Rhythm is crucial for biological organization, influencing physiology and social behavior.
Passive rhythmic movement (e.g., rocking) soothes mammals, reducing distress and promoting sleep.
Evidence suggests rhythmic motion can also evoke positive affect, but this is unexplored in non-mammalian species.

Purpose of the Study:

Investigate the effects of passive rhythmic movement on affective states in domestic chicks (Gallus gallus).
Examine if rhythmic motion can elicit both calming and pleasurable responses in a species without maternal carrying.
Explore conserved mechanisms of rhythm-based affect regulation across vertebrates.

Main Methods:

Chicks were exposed to horizontal and vertical rocking, and carrying-like motions at various frequencies.
Behavioral responses, including contact and brood calls, were recorded to assess affective states.
Compared responses to different rhythmic movement types and frequencies.

Main Results:

Slow rhythmic movements decreased distress calls (contact calls), similar to soothing effects in mammals.
Faster movements increased positive arousal calls (brood calls), indicating a transition to enjoyment.
Passive rhythmic motion modulated chicks' affective states, showing both calming and pleasurable dimensions.

Conclusions:

Rhythmic passive movement influences affective states in birds, demonstrating conserved mechanisms for affect regulation.
The study reveals both calming and potentially pleasurable effects of rhythmic motion in a non-mammalian vertebrate.
Findings suggest deeply conserved neural mechanisms underlying rhythm-based emotional processing across vertebrates.