Rats free each other from cages (2011)

semi-extrinsic wrote: post #3

Actual paper: http://science.sciencemag.org/content/334/6061/1427 There is a correction issued for this paper, but the correction is paywalled so I can't tell whether it's substantive or a nitpick. Also, please put a (2011) in the title.

Some recent research on the topic:

Oberliessen et al., "Inequity aversion in rats" (2016)

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347216...

Decety et al., "Empathy as a driver of prosocial behaviour" (2016)

http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/371/1686/2015...

Re: Rats free each other from cages (2011)

#5

Post by csomar » Sun, Jul 03, 2016, 1:07 PM UTC

Just looked at the video. There is little evidence that the rat opened the cage to free his mate. My guess is that it opened the cage to check what's inside. Notice that as soon as the cage is opened it quickly entered inside even before his mate left it.

Re: Rats free each other from cages (2011)

#6

Post by fennecfoxen » Sun, Jul 03, 2016, 1:10 PM UTC

grondilu wrote: post #2

Kind of related: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iriBuIunNYM

... come now! I was expecting at least https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWhzy-lynu4

Re: Rats free each other from cages (2011)

#7

Post by smoyer » Sun, Jul 03, 2016, 1:12 PM UTC

If you were observing humans but couldn't interview them, could you say they were acting with empathy? There are all sorts of "acts" that appear to be empathy from the outside but end up being in both parties best interest. Even acts of heroism and selflessness end up helping to hold together our society but it's often hard to feel what the other is feeling. Even when I consciously try, I suspect my attempts at empathy fall short - but it's still important to try.

Re: Rats free each other from cages (2011)

#8

Post by gerbilly » Sun, Jul 03, 2016, 1:14 PM UTC

csomar wrote: post #5

Just looked at the video. There is little evidence that the rat opened the cage to free his mate. My guess is that it opened the cage to check what's inside. Notice that as soon as the cage is opened it quickly entered inside even before his mate left it.

The researchers found that rats rarely opened empty cages, or cages containing a toy rat.

Re: Rats free each other from cages (2011)

#9

Post by grecy » Sun, Jul 03, 2016, 1:15 PM UTC

I feel certain that in the near future we will discover animals are a lot smarter and more emotionally developed than we currently realize, and future generations will look back on our treatment of them with disgust.

Re: Rats free each other from cages (2011)

#10

Post by nxzero » Sun, Jul 03, 2016, 1:17 PM UTC

gerbilly wrote: post #8

csomar wrote: post #5

Just looked at the video. There is little evidence that the rat opened the cage to free his mate. My guess is that it opened the cage to check what's inside. Notice that as soon as the cage is opened it quickly entered inside even before his mate left it.

The researchers found that rats rarely opened empty cages, or cages containing a toy rat.

(Maybe the real rats smelled like food, were a sign of food, etc.)