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# Empathy and pro-social behavior in rats

## Details

**Authors** Bartal et al.

**Year** 2011

**Publisher** Science

**Discipline** Biology

[Read it at the publisher](https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1210789) 
10.1126/science.1210789

## In authors' words

### Abstract

Rats free companions from restraint, apparently motivated by empathy to end their mate's distress.

### What they set out to do (purpose)

To explore if rats would also engage in prosocial behavior if they had the opportunity.

### What they found (results)

This experiment shows that rats have the ability to take Perspective and have empathy for another of their species. Their Perspective taking ability leads them to do extra work in order to make another rat less miserable.

## Commentary

### In short

The root of empathy is Perspective, which is fundamental to social organisms.

### In more detail

Humans regularly engage in “prosocial behavior” which is thought to be motivated by a feeling of empathy for others. The purpose of Ben-Ami Bartal et al.’s research was to explore if rats would also engage in prosocial behavior if they had the opportunity. In their experiment, they placed a free rat into the test area which contained either an empty restrainer (for the control) or a rat trapped in the restrainer. The rats placed in the experimental setup worked hard to free the constrained rat, while the ones in the control did not attempt to open the restrainer. They then did an experiment to see if there was a stimulus that would encourage the rat to be selfish (anti-social) if it would change the behavior of the rats. The experimental arena was changed to include an additional restrainer which was full of chocolate. The rats worked to open both restrainers, and in most of the experiments, they shared the chocolate with the freed rat. This experiment shows that rats have the ability to take Perspective and have empathy for another of their species. Their Perspective taking ability leads them to do extra work in order to make another rat less miserable. The root of empathy is Perspective, which is fundamental to social organisms. Without it, we would not be able to coexist with one another. To increase empathy among us, we must start with building perspective taking skills, a fundamental element of systems thinking.

**Patterns it shows** P

**How to cite this** Bartal et al. (2011). Empathy and pro-social behavior in rats. Science.