Helping behavior in rats (Rattus norvegicus) when an escape alternative is present

Carvalheiro, J. , Seara-Cardoso,, A., Mesquita, A. R., de Sousa, L., Oliveira, P., Summavielle, T. and Magalhães, A. (2019) Helping behavior in rats (Rattus norvegicus) when an escape alternative is present. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 133(4), pp. 452-462. (doi: 10.1037/com0000178) (PMID:30896232)

Full text not currently available from Enlighten.

Abstract

Prosocial behavior in rats is known to occur in response to a familiar rat’s distress, but the motivations underlying prosocial behavior remain elusive. In this study, we adapted the experimental setting of Ben-Ami Bartal, Decety, and Mason (2011) to explore different motivations behind helping behavior in adolescent rats. In the original setting, a free rat is placed in an arena where a cagemate is trapped inside a restrainer that can only be opened from the outside by the free rat. Here we added a dark compartment to the experimental setting that allowed the free rat to escape the arena and the distress evoked by the trapped cagemate, based on rodents’ aversion to bright areas. As a control, we tested rats in the same arena but with the door to the dark area closed. Our results showed that all free rats, except one in the escape condition, learned to open the restrainer’s door. However, in the escape condition, rats took significantly longer to open the restrainer to the cagemates when compared with rats that could not escape. To further explore the motivations underlying these group differences in door-opening latencies, we measured both rats’ behavior. We found that struggling behavior (i.e., distress) in the trapped rat did not affect door-opening, whereas exploratory behavior (i.e., proactive/positive behavior) in both rats contributed to shorter times. Our results highlight that adolescent rats show prosocial behavior even when they can escape without helping and contribute to demonstrate the role of positive emotional states in prosocial behavior.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Carvalheiro, Dr Joana
Authors: Carvalheiro, J., Seara-Cardoso,, A., Mesquita, A. R., de Sousa, L., Oliveira, P., Summavielle, T., and Magalhães, A.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Psychology & Neuroscience
Journal Name:Journal of Comparative Psychology
Publisher:American Psychological Association
ISSN:0735-7036
ISSN (Online):1939-2087
Published Online:01 November 2019

University Staff: Request a correction | Enlighten Editors: Update this record