We may believe that empathy and compassion are uniquely human capabilities. Actually, they developed much earlier in evolutionary history. They have surprising evolutionary roots in animal biology and psychology. Empathy and compassion seem to exist in various nonhuman species, such as rodents, cats, dogs, dolphins, elephants, and primates. Birds, including ravens, evidently demonstrate such abilities for empathy and compassion.
Mammalians, and particularly primates, are very special in this regard. Other articles in this journal elaborate on these topics. But even rodents—rats and mice—appear to be capable of empathy and compassionate behavior.
The Biological Mechanisms of Empathy and Compassion
Empathy and compassion evolved as a set of adaptive behavioral mechanisms that assist the survival of animals and birds that live in groups. These abilities are widely observed in social animals, such as rodents, cats, dogs, dolphins, elephants, primates, and birds, such as ravens.
Recent research on neurophysiology has greatly advanced scientific knowledge of the biological basis of the abilities of empathy and compassion. They appeared to have the emotional capabilities necessary for adapting animal behavior to the conditions of other members of their group, in some cases extending beyond their own group.
Studies have revealed physiological and neurohormonal mechanisms that are involved in emotional communication, empathy, compassion, and parental care in numerous mammalian species (Fraser & Bugnyar, 2010; Decety, Bartal, Uzefovsky, & Knafo-Noam, 2016; Decety & Holvoet, 2021; Decety, Norman, Berntson, & Cacioppo, 2012; Karandashev, 2026 for a review).
Deep Origins of Empathy and Compassion Among Animals
The evolutionary origins of empathy and compassion are evidently present in various instances of animal behavior toward other animals and humans. Many animals exhibit the ability to display emotions of empathy and exhibit compassion towards others, including those from different species. Specifically, mammals can convey their affectionate sentiments through empathic responses and compassionate behaviors (see Karandashev, 2026, for review).
Researchers observed the abilities of empathy and compassion in such social animals as rodents, cats, dogs, dolphins, elephants, and primates. These animals evidently exhibit the behaviors such as consolation, comforting, rescuing, nurturing, emotional contagion, grief, and mourning.
How Empathy and Compassion of Rats and Mice Drive Their Prosocial Actions
Research has shown that rodents exhibit behaviors resembling empathy through emotional contagion, aligning their suffering, anguish, and anxiety with that of others. Rats and mice demonstrate empathy and engage in compassionate behavior toward the the members of their own species. Moreover, neurobiological mechanisms indicate that brain regions, such as “emotional mirror neurons,” are essential for emotional contagion in rats. These brain regions of rodents closely parallel those linked to human empathy. The “emotional mirror neurons” in the cingulate cortex map the distress of others onto their own internal state (Keysers, Knapska, Moita, & Gazzola, 2022; Sivaselvachandran, Acland, Abdallah, & Martin, 2018).
Rodents exhibit behavioral indicators of empathy via assistance, emotional contagion, and prosocial actions. They exhibit emotional contagion—the subconscious inclination to absorb the feelings of others through the imitation of their facial expressions, postures, and vocal tones. Rodents instinctively adjust their behavior upon recognizing the suffering of other rats. They demonstrate compassion by sharing resources and engaging in helping behaviors (Church, 1959; Cox & Reichel, 2020; Meyza, Bartal, Monfils, Panksepp, & Knapska, 2017; Panksepp & Lahvis, 2011).
Experimental Indicators of Empathy and Compassion in Rats
In experimental studies with rats, researchers have demonstrated the evident indicators of empathy and compassion for their peers when they release their caged mates by opening a trap to free their trapped peers.Their pro-social behavior show their empathetic experience and compassionate response.
This kind of behavior, however, fluctuates, driven by the degree of acquaintance with the cage mate. The prosocial behavior of rats, akin to compassion, can extend beyond genetically related individuals. The social phenomenon of simple exposure can likewise exert its influence. For instance, rats reared with a distinct strain exhibited altruistic behavior toward rats from that unfamiliar strain, despite genetic dissimilarity (Ben-Ami Bartal, Rodgers, Bernardez Sarria, Decety, & Mason, 2014; Gewin, 2011; Hachiga, Schwartz, Silberberg, Kearns, Gomez, & Slotnick, 2018; Scheggia & Papaleo, 2020).
Rats exhibit a brain signal of empathy for individuals in both in-groups and out-groups experiencing suffering. Nonetheless, the impetus to act is preferentially directed toward members of one’s in-group. The reward circuitry in rats is activated solely when they save a member of their in-group. The reward system, encompassing dopamine and serotonin, is crucial to the decision to assist.
References
Gewin, V. (2011). Rats free each other from cages. Nature, 480(10.1038).