Evidence of Empathy in Animals Across Time

Empathetic behaviors are characterized by a three-tiered hierarchical organization involving arousal, emotional contagion, and cognitive empathy. In the current study, we define each step in this hierarchy in order to build toward a paradigm that represents true cognitive empathy. We then examine the levels of empathy displayed by rats in previous paradigms and classify prior studies by level of arousal, emotional contagion, or cognitive empathy. Finally, we present two studies which examine the potential for empathetic display in rats.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science in Experimental Psychology (M.S.)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis (open access)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Department of Psychology

Year dc:date.available

2008

Author dc:creator

• Gavel, Jeffrey Stephen

Contributors dc:contributor

• Lawrence Locker
• Rebecca Ryan

• ETD
• Empathy
• Emotional contagion
• Rats
• Cognitive empathy

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/423

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu:etd-1423