Study shows 'Bystander Effect' not exclusive to humans

[Jim__]

From phys.org:

A rat is less likely to help a trapped companion if it is with other rats that aren't helping, according to new research from the University of Chicago that showed the social psychological theory of the "bystander effect" in humans is present in these long-tailed rodents. Credit: Mason Lab

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The study, titled "The Bystander Effect in Rats," also demonstrated that in the presence of other potential helper rats, rats are more, rather than less, likely to help. Whether helping is facilitated or suppressed depends on the circumstances rather than on personal temperament or morals, a finding with implications for human society. The research, published in the July 8 issue of Science Advances, builds off previous research on rat empathy.

In 2011, Peggy Mason, Ph.D., professor of neurobiology and senior author of the study, and her UChicago team of researchers found that rats consistently freed trapped companions, even saving a bit of chocolate for them, and this behavior was driven by a rat version of empathy. A subsequent study showed that rats treated with anti-anxiety medication are less likely to free a trapped peer because they do not feel its anxiety. In another study, researchers found that rats only freed trapped rat strains that they had previous social experience with.

The roots of the classic bystander effect date back to 1964, when Catherine "Kitty" Genovese was murdered in a crowded residential neighborhood in Queens, New York. An account published in the New York Times reported that 38 bystanders saw the murder but did not intervene. Though this story was later proven inaccurate, it inspired psychologists Bibb Latané and John Darley to investigate why so many people would fail to help.

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[soothsayer]

1. Point of confusion:

Snip:

A rat is less likely to help a trapped companion if it is with other rats that aren't helping

...also demonstrated that in the presence of other potential helper rats, rats are more, rather than less, likely to help

[Jim__]

2. Whether or not the rat will help depends upon the behavior of the other rats.

They tested it by placing companion rats on an anti-anxiety drug. Under that drug, the rats won't help. A non-drugged rat accompanied by drugged rats won't help a trapped companion. The same rat, in the presence of rats that help the trapped rat, will also help the trapped rat.

[soothsayer]

3. Thanks, I got that (anxiety drug---fascinating). Just confused by

Rats who are not helping, versus ‘potentially helpful rats’ (who are still not helping).


It’s probably just me.

[Jim__]

4. My take is that whether or not a rat helps depends upon circumstances.

One of those circumstances is if a rat is with other rats, he'll tend to do what they do.

They did extend the test to humans, and we seem to behave somewhat like rats:

The pair tested human subjects alone and in the presence of "confederate" bystanders—people who were part of the research team and were instructed not to help—as they confronted a variety of experimental scenarios with someone (an actor) in distress. Latané and Darley consistently observed that subjects were far less likely to help in the presence of non-helping confederates than they were when tested alone. This phenomenon, referred to as the bystander effect, is now a pillar in psychology, included in every introductory textbook and class. The mechanism for the classic bystander effect is thought to be a diffusion of responsibility whereby people reason that they need not act because others in a group will.

The fact that rats and humans behave similarly, I believe, indicates that this behavior is embedded in our evolutionary past.

The full research article is available. I was going to read that later to see if I could get any more out of it.

[soothsayer]

5. I'm really just cranky about the wording in those two instances

The rest of it was fine.

Don’t mind me. I just would have worded it differently.

[Karadeniz]

6. Social norms matter.

[CatLady78]

7. Interesting

This behavior was driven by a rat version of empathy. A subsequent study showed that rats treated with anti-anxiety medication are less likely to free a trapped peer because they do not feel its anxiety.

This might explain our callousness towards non companion animals. Certainly chickens suffer more cruelty than probably any other species. But cats and dogs are companions and we are used to projecting our emotions on to them. Cruelty towards companion animals produces widespread outrage as we are programmed to empathize with them. Chicken farm cruelty produces a shrug. Chickens are seen as dull-witted and it is convenient for us to ignore their suffering.