25th February 2012
-
Source:
- 28,457 notes
- Permalink
- Tweet this
a simple experiment, researchers at the University of Chicago sought to find out whether a rat would release a fellow rat from an unpleasantly restrictive cage if it could. The answer was yes.
The free rat, occasionally hearing distress calls from its compatriot, learned to open the cage and did so with greater efficiency over time. It would release the other animal even if there wasn’t the payoff of a reunion with it. Astonishingly, if given access to a small hoard of chocolate chips, the free rat would usually save at least one treat for the captive — which is a lot to expect of a rat.
The researchers came to the unavoidable conclusion that what they were seeing was empathy — and apparently selfless behavior driven by that mental state.
“A New Model of Empathy: The Rat” by David Brown, Washington Post
I remember that contraption. There’d be a backside I’d push forward to squish the mouse until it’s face was as flat as a pancake. The tail would exit through a hole and we’d hold it in place to repeatedly stab practicing dye injections until we hit the vein and its face, feet, and hands turned blue. Gosh…I’m going to hell, aren’t I. #Lifeasanundergradresearcher
