Adult female rats who have never before encountered rat pups will start to show maternal behaviors after being confined with a pup for about seven days. This period can be considerably shortened by disabling the female’s sense of smell or by removing the scent-producing glands of the pup.
Which of the following hypotheses best explains the contrast described above?

Question

Examsnet · Accepted Answer

Correct Answer is :  The development of a female rat’s maternal interest in a rat pup that she did not bear is inhibited by the odor of the pup.

GMAT Verbal Reasoning Practice Test 5