Abstract

ROTH, Eric  and  FLORES, Ludwing. LA EMPATÍA EN LOS ROEDORES: EL PAPEL DE LA FAMILIARIDAD EN LA RESPUESTA EMOCIONAL Y LA CONDUCTA DE AYUDA EN RATONES MUS MUSCULUS. Ajayu [online]. 2019, vol.17, n.1, pp.26-50. ISSN 2077-2161.

The purpose of the present experimental research was to analyze the emotional response of a well know type of rodent (mus musculus laboratory mice), as well as its helping  behavior generated by the confinement of a companion in a movement restriction device, under the influence of the familiarity defined by cohabitation time-period. Sixteen male mice of the Swiss Albinos strain, naive, at 35 days of age, were divided into pairs in which one of them was confined while the other remained free. The study focused on the free mouse behavior over 12 measurement sessions and under the influence of four cohabitation values. The results showed in the first instance, that the evidence of a companion in trouble elicits high levels of behavioral activation in the free mouse, emotional state that is significantly reduced after the release of the congener. The study also showed that the helping behavior by opening the door of the device and measured through the latency in which it is performed, is reduced as the sessions progress which means that the release of the partner reinforces the opening behavior. The research also suggested that only the period of 216 hours of cohabitation could differentially affect the emotional response; however, other values of the cohabitation did not exert significant influences on the helping behavior. These results indicate that the mice are able to show some form of empathic emotional concern that awakens the behavior of helping the couple. Finally, this article discusses on the evolutionary and contextual connotations of animal empathy.

Keywords : Empathy in rodents; emotional activation; cohabitation; helping behavior.

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