Prairie voles 'comfort friends in distress'

Findings: The prairie vole is apparently capable of consoling behaviour
PA
Sebastian Mann22 January 2016

A small North American rodent shows genuine empathy when it finds friends or relatives in distress, scientists have discovered.

The minuscule prairie vole was found to console others after they had been given a mild electric shock.

Such behaviour has only previously been found in larger species such as chimpanzees, elephants and dolphins.

The vole’s caring nature is based on the "cuddle" hormone oxytocin, which promotes maternal nurturing and social bonding, researchers discovered.

Dr Frans de Waal, a member of the team from Yerkes National Primate Research Centre at Emory University in the US, said: "Scientists have been reluctant to attribute empathy to animals, often assuming selfish motives.

"These explanations have never worked well for consolation behaviour, however, which is why this study is so important."

In the experiment, prairie voles who were relatives and "friends" were temporarily separated while one was exposed to mild electric shocks.

When they were reunited, the non-stressed voles comforted their upset companion with a lot of licking. The same behaviour was not seen when no electric shock was applied to any of the separated voles.

It was also not seen when the stressed vole was a stranger.

The findings are said to have implications for understanding and treating conditions that disrupt our ability to respond to the emotions of others, such as autism and schizophrenia.

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