Peggy Mason

This study shows that rats can help others in distress without affective cues, suggesting a form of cognitive empathy driven by cognitive dissonance.

This study shows that cross-fostered rats display reduced movement and approach behavior toward trapped rats, and trapped rats exposed to these rats show decreased exploratory behavior, suggesting a model of social rejection.

This study shows that anxiolytic treatment reduces helping behavior in rats, suggesting affective responses are crucial for pro-social actions.