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Member (Idle past 1405 days) Posts: 20714 From: the other end of the sidewalk Joined: |
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Author | Topic: Empathy ... in rats ... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
RAZD Member (Idle past 1405 days) Posts: 20714 From: the other end of the sidewalk Joined: |
New study shows empathy in rats:
quote: Read more here. Evolved behavior in social species to help others in the group before being selfish. Note the higher empathy of females vs males. To me (personal opinion) the female behavior shows an extension of mothering behavior (looking out for young) to others (who can also possibly help look out for young). We are empathic because we are social animals, and we are self-organized into groups by our empathy for other members in the group. Enjoy.by our ability to understand Rebel American Zen Deist ... to learn ... to think ... to live ... to laugh ... to share. Join the effort to solve medical problems, AIDS/HIV, Cancer and more with Team EvC! (click)
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Admin Director Posts: 12998 From: EvC Forum Joined: Member Rating: 2.3 |
This doesn't feel structured like a debate topic. It sort of feels like it belongs in Links and Information.
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RAZD Member (Idle past 1405 days) Posts: 20714 From: the other end of the sidewalk Joined: |
okay.
If it sparks a debate then it can be move to an appropriate debate forum Enjoy.by our ability to understand Rebel American Zen Deist ... to learn ... to think ... to live ... to laugh ... to share. Join the effort to solve medical problems, AIDS/HIV, Cancer and more with Team EvC! (click)
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AdminModulous Administrator Posts: 897 Joined: |
Thread copied here from the Empathy ... in rats ... thread in the Proposed New Topics forum.
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Wounded King Member Posts: 4149 From: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA Joined: |
Have to say, the difference in n between the male and female samples makes me cautious of putting too much weight on the discrepancy between the two in terms of the 'empathy' shown.
I'm surprised Zi Ko hasn't been all over this already. TTFN, WK
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RAZD Member (Idle past 1405 days) Posts: 20714 From: the other end of the sidewalk Joined: |
Hi Wounded King,
Even the numbers for the males are low in terms of comparison (one wonders why so few rats were used). ... journal Science 08dec11Science | AAAS Just a moment... quote: Slightly different slant: it looks like they were testing for the presence of empathic behavior, and only needed a positive outcome in some of the tests. In this regard the number of positives is well above what could be inferred to be random behavior. Just a moment...
quote: And the testing was a little more complicated than simple single event opening tests. Enjoy.by our ability to understand Rebel American Zen Deist ... to learn ... to think ... to live ... to laugh ... to share. Join the effort to solve medical problems, AIDS/HIV, Cancer and more with Team EvC! (click)
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zi ko Member (Idle past 3620 days) Posts: 578 Joined: |
quote:
"Thus, the most parsimonious interpretation of the observed helping behavior is that rats free their cagemate in order to end distress, either their own or that of the trapped rat, that is associated with the circumstances of the trapped cagemate. "..... "The presence of empathy in nonhuman animals is gaining support in the scientific community (20—26), although skeptics remain (27). In the current study, the free rat was not simply empathically sensitive to another rat’s distress but acted intentionally to liberate a trapped conspecific. The ability to understand and actively respond to the affective state of a conspecific is crucial for an animal’s successful navigation in the social arena (4) and ultimately benefits group survival." It seems their conclusion that ending distress is the main motvation for rats act, is fitting so well with my evolution hypothesis.( http://www.sleepgadgetabs.com ) How, the followers of random mutations explain this "ability to....... survival"? Edited by zi ko, : No reason given. Edited by zi ko, : No reason given.
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1.61803 Member (Idle past 1504 days) Posts: 2928 From: Lone Star State USA Joined: |
Perhaps what we call empathy is merely the other rats acting in their own self interest. I could not enjoy a nice peaceful dinner if some human was caught in some cage writhing in front of me.
What they should do is perform the experiment where the rats do not have to see the cage mate in the trap, but be aware he is there. Then if they go out of their way to free them they may be on to something.
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zi ko Member (Idle past 3620 days) Posts: 578 Joined: |
Hi W.K
i am not surprised by these findings. I was almost expecting them. I am waiting now the moment scientists will prove empathy's affect on DNA or equivalent neural sites and its role to evolution.
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Taz Member (Idle past 3292 days) Posts: 5069 From: Zerus Joined: |
Wounded King writes:
I've been on and off from time to time, mostly off. Wanna tell me in a couple short sentences what this is about?
I'm surprised Zi Ko hasn't been all over this already.
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Coragyps Member (Idle past 735 days) Posts: 5553 From: Snyder, Texas, USA Joined: |
I could not enjoy a nice peaceful dinner if some human was caught in some cage writhing in front of me. But a chocholate, on the other hand, would at least lead me to some serious consideration.........
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Dr Adequate Member (Idle past 285 days) Posts: 16113 Joined:
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Perhaps what we call empathy is merely the other rats acting in their own self interest. I could not enjoy a nice peaceful dinner if some human was caught in some cage writhing in front of me. But that, surely is because you feel empathy. You wouldn't mind something equally visually distracting, such as an aquarium.
What they should do is perform the experiment where the rats do not have to see the cage mate in the trap, but be aware he is there. That would reduce the empathy in humans too. If we were as distressed by the abstract knowledge that people whom we can't see are suffering as we are by actually seeing people suffering, the world would be a very different place.
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