In the natural environment, behavioral imprinting acts as an instinct for survival in newborns. The offspring must immediately recognize its parent, because threatening events, such as the attack by a predator or by other adults could occur just after hatching. Thus, imprinting is very reliable to induce the formation of a strong social bond, even if it is the wrong one.
These investigations have shown that imprinting is neither rapid nor irreversible, and also not restricted to a critical period, as was claimed by Lorenz and his followers. It has been also discovered that imprinting occurs in other species, and that learning components are more important than previously thought (Hoffman, 1996). There is evidence that this cumulative process entails the release of endorphins in the brain.