Rats avoid actions that will hurt others – even if it earns them a treat

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Rats, like humans, avoid actions that can cause pain to their fellow beings, scientists have found.

This trait, known as harm aversion, is seen as an important part of moral development in humans but is reduced in violent antisocial individuals. 

Researchers believe their findings, published in the journal Current Biology, could help scientists develop new drug treatments to increase harm aversion in patients who show psychopathic behaviour.

To investigate harm aversion in rats, the researchers gave them a choice between two levers they could press to receive sugary treats.

Once the animals developed a preference for one of the two levers, the scientists reconfigured the system so that pressing the favourite lever would also cause the rat in the next cage to receive an unpleasant shock while the treat was being dispensed. When the fellow rodents reacted by squeaking their protest, the rats stopped using their preferred lever.

Source: https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/rats-avoid-actions-that-will-hurt-others-even-if-it-earns-them-a-treat/

[GaGaAst 13,124]

 Rats, like humans, avoid actions that can cause pain to their fellow beings. 

 

[FfFfFfFF 58,068]

 One more reason to feel reassured visiting Joanne Traitoria. 

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So rats are far superior to the US government then 

[Tayko 1,203]

I got a rat when i was younger and damn he was so nice and friendly. 

My parents accepted because it was popular to have one in France after Ratatouille movie but for real rats are so friendly just like dogs i was in love 

[PartySick 172,419]

Are rats that social?

It seems like this would be a social adaptation. Causing pain to another individual would get you shunned from the group because others see you as a threat

[derpmonster 22,412]

I have to revoke all the times I called people rats

Turns out rats are much nicer than those people

[StarstruckIllusion 53,563]

9 minutes ago, PartySick said:

Are rats that social?

It seems like this would be a social adaptation. Causing pain to another individual would get you shunned from the group because others see you as a threat

Rats are INSANELY social. This is probably one of my fave videos of last year. This experiment was insane. Cannot recommend enough

 

[PartySick 172,419]

1 minute ago, StarstruckIllusion said:

Rats are INSANELY social.

I always thought they were solitary animals. Good to know

Lemme bookmark your video

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@Gypsy Life

Cute 

[Guest Adarsh]

Love!

[Rat Boy 43,832]

43 minutes ago, FfFfFfFF said:

 One more reason to feel reassured visiting Joanne Traitoria. 

I heard the rats also help to run the Born This Way Foundation. They are the true #Kindnesspunks 

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And to think how many of them are killed on a daily basis in the cruelest possible ways... 

[HausOfG 1,560]

I have a terrible fear of rats but I wish this testing didn't go on. Leave them alone. 

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The Kindness Rats battle for Chromatica