baby duck syndrome


baby duck syndrome

A phenomenon in informatics referring to the comparison by users of a new information system or software to the first system they learned (imprinted). Computer users generally prefer systems similar to those on which they learned, and dislike unfamiliar systems.
The term is an analogy to imprinting in ducklings and goslings, which will regard themselves as the same species of animal—such as geese, but also dogs, humans, etc.—to which they are first exposed if the time frame is long enough.