In 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
…
SCIENCE: It’s official — even a RAT has more morals than a Republican
The Grand Ol’ Teaparty could learn a lesson from rats:
- House Republicans Again Delay Payroll Tax Cut Vote, May Resort To Procedural Gimmicks – Think Progress
- Have you heard about the sweet deal Romney got from Bain Capital (and all the people he helped lay off in the process)? Think Progress
- Jeb Bush wrote a WSJ op-ed today extolling the magic of capitalism over the “stagnant” welfare state. What Jeb Bush failed to do, however, was point out how he’s a big beneficiary of corporate welfare — Mother Jones
- “Our nation needs to stop doing for people what they can and should do for themselves. Self reliance means, if anyone will not work, neither should he eat.” — Michele Bachmann
- “… I believe that Iraq should pay the families that lost a loved one several million dollars per life, I think at minimum.” — Michele Bachmann
- “Don’t try to stop the foreclosure process. Let it run its course and hit the bottom…” – Mitt Romney
- “I should tell my story. I’m also unemployed.” Mitt Romney chuckled.
- “Really poor children in really poor neighborhoods have no habits of working and nobody around them who works. So they literally have no habit of showing up on Monday. They have no habit of staying all day. They have no habit of ‘I do this and you give me cash,’ unless it’s illegal.” — Newt Gingrich
- “But why should we hear about body bags and deaths, and how many, what day it’s gonna happen, and how many this or that or what do you suppose? Or, I mean, it’s not relevant. So, why should I waste my beautiful mind on something like that, and watch him (George H. W. Bush) suffer?”– Barbara Bush addressing how much news she watches, two days before Iraq invasion, 03/18/03
Posted on December 21st at 12:00 PM
Tags: #animals #psychology
Reblogged from: lycanpedia
Originally posted by: katreus
-
youungworldd liked this
-
chelta reblogged this from soundlesswind
-
sparkleblossom reblogged this from thecrossroad
-
angelasoup liked this
-
ohthefridaynightlights liked this
-
ohthefridaynightlights reblogged this from seawaffle
-
seawaffle reblogged this from chairolyn
-
andrearoxsox reblogged this from joan-of-arc-complex
-
joan-of-arc-complex reblogged this from sweetandlovelygirl7
-
jstead liked this
-
healthykoi reblogged this from fuckyeahveganlife
-
itzkiimchii liked this
-
cassavaqueen reblogged this from chairolyn and added:
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...
-
chairolyn reblogged this from ideasandopinions
-
kitchyami reblogged this from sciencefictionandsluts and added:
This is so sweet & far more then most people would ever do for another human! And people say we’re the smart ones???
-
foxotr liked this
-
foxotr reblogged this from lululovegood
-
asemina reblogged this from i-should-be-sleeping
-
chelseabrasseur liked this
-
oliviaxchristene reblogged this from sciencefictionandsluts
-
codaking liked this
-
i-should-be-sleeping reblogged this from whorepink and added:
rats man, better than people…
-
land0fthefaggets liked this
-
whorepink reblogged this from sciencefictionandsluts
-
unacoffeemackie reblogged this from sciencefictionandsluts
-
unacoffeemackie liked this
-
whorepink liked this
-
grasshopperlane reblogged this from lululovegood
-
strieftegeist reblogged this from sciencefictionandsluts
-
lululovegood reblogged this from sciencefictionandsluts
-
strieftegeist liked this
-
lightbeforedark reblogged this from sciencefictionandsluts
-
risalolita reblogged this from sciencefictionandsluts
-
hellohotchoco liked this
-
hellohotchoco reblogged this from sciencefictionandsluts
-
sciencefictionandsluts reblogged this from scarletsaint
-
jacquelinessmirkingrevenge reblogged this from ellee-eat-gallifrey
-
onetworedblue reblogged this from xindha
-
swimmingseaofstars liked this
-
ellee-eat-gallifrey reblogged this from somethingwilde
-
somethingwilde reblogged this from victorianmaiden
-
goodnightjade reblogged this from keepyourcorsetstight
-
allthehopeswewerefoolishtohope reblogged this from spooningforlove
-
spooningforlove reblogged this from theformoftheirheads
-
sofialovesyou liked this
-
mochapansy liked this
-
freaksonparade liked this
-
wevegotadiemtocarpe liked this
-
aoiharinezumi reblogged this from katreus and added:
wow! honestly sometimes i think animals are more empathetic...selfless towards each
- Show more notes
