What is the term used to describe early bonding with an object or animal?

The term that describes early bonding with an object or animal is imprinting. Imprinting is a specific type of learning that occurs at a particular life stage, often soon after birth, and involves forming an attachment or a strong association with a caregiver or certain stimuli within the environment. This behavior is most commonly observed in animals like ducks and geese, where young birds will follow the first moving object they see, typically their mother.

Imprinting is crucial for survival, ensuring that the young animal stays close to its caregiver for protection and nourishment. It helps in the development of social behaviors and is a critical component of their learning process during that early sensitive period. Unlike general conditioning or training, which can occur at various stages of life and involves a conscious process where animals learn associations through reinforcement, imprinting is an instinctive and automatic response that happens shortly after birth.