Empathy and pro-social behavior in rats.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Ben-Ami Bartal I
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3760221 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Dec
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Empathy and pro-social behavior in rats.
Ben-Ami Bartal Inbal I Decety Jean J Mason Peggy P
Science (New York, N.Y.) 20111201 6061
Whereas human pro-social behavior is often driven by empathic concern for another, it is unclear whether nonprimate mammals experience a similar motivational state. To test for empathically motivated pro-social behavior in rodents, we placed a free rat in an arena with a cagemate trapped in a restrainer. After several sessions, the free rat learned to intentionally and quickly open the restrainer and free the cagemate. Rats did not open empty or object-containing restrainers. They freed cagemate ...[more]
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