Generalized Reciprocity in Rats
Author Information
Author(s): Claudia Rutte, Michael Taborsky
Primary Institution: University of Berne, Switzerland
Hypothesis
Do rats exhibit generalized reciprocity by helping unknown partners after receiving help themselves?
Conclusion
Rats that received help from others were more likely to help an unknown partner, demonstrating generalized reciprocity.
Supporting Evidence
- Rats that received help pulled more often for an unknown partner.
- The pulling frequency was on average 21% higher in the helper treatment than in the nonhelper treatment.
- Rats with prior help pulled on average four times earlier than those without help.
Takeaway
Rats are more likely to help others if they have been helped before, even if they don't know the helper.
Methodology
Female wild-type rats were trained in a cooperative task and their helping behavior was tested after receiving help from different partners.
Potential Biases
Potential biases in partner selection and the influence of prior experiences were not fully controlled.
Limitations
The study only involved female rats and the results may not generalize to other species or genders.
Participant Demographics
Female wild-type Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus).
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.014
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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