🧠❤️ What Rats Teach Us About Empathy: Lessons from the 3 Brains Intelligence Theory ❤️🐀

Christoffel Sneijders
Nov 27, 2024
5 min read

When we think of empathy and altruism, we often picture distinctly human traits or behaviors seen in advanced primates.

However, groundbreaking research conducted with rats challenges these assumptions and reveals something fascinating about the evolutionary roots of empathy. These findings align beautifully with the 3 Brains Intelligence Theory, which explores how the interplay of our Head, Heart, and Gut brains drives our emotions, decisions, and behaviors.

Let’s delve into what this research teaches us about empathy and how understanding our three brains can help us cultivate a more compassionate and action-oriented mindset.

Empathy in Rats: A Surprising Discovery

A study by neuroscientists at the University of Chicago revealed that rats display empathetic, pro-social behavior previously thought to exist only in humans and higher primates. In a controlled experiment, free rats were placed in an enclosure with a caged companion. Over time, the free rats learned to open the cage door to release their trapped peers. Even more astonishing, they exhibited selfless behavior, such as sharing chocolate—a highly valued treat in their world—with the liberated rat.

Now, let’s pause on this act of sharing chocolate.

Chocolate is a precious commodity for rats, the equivalent of a gourmet feast for us. When given the choice, the free rat could have hoarded the chocolate for itself, enjoying every last morsel. But it didn’t. In nearly half the cases, the free rat deliberately saved at least one piece for its trapped companion, sharing its bounty even though it wasn’t required to.

And here’s the million-dollar question: Would we, as humans, do the same?

How often do we prioritize our own needs or indulgences over helping someone else? Would we sacrifice something valuable—money, time, or comfort—to share with another, especially someone we don’t know? The actions of these rats challenge us to reflect on our own choices and whether our natural empathy is as strong in practice as it is in theory.

How the 3 Brains Intelligence Theory Explains Empathy and Sharing

The 3 Brains Intelligence Theory—which identifies the Head, Heart, and Gut brains as key drivers of human behavior—provides a compelling framework for understanding this remarkable behavior.

Heart Brain: Compassion and Connection The rats’ actions were likely rooted in their Heart Brain equivalent, which governs emotions like empathy and compassion. Hearing their companion’s distress likely triggered their urge to help and even share food—a profound act of connection.
Gut Brain: Action Over Instinct The Gut Brain, which drives instinctive actions, played a crucial role in regulating the stress of the helping rats. Stress could have paralyzed them or led them to focus solely on survival (hoarding all the chocolate). Instead, they managed their stress, enabling them to act on their Heart Brain’s compassionate drive.
Head Brain: Balancing Choices While rats may not “rationalize” like humans, their actions still required an internal balancing act. They didn’t just release their peers; they also chose to share their food, even when it wasn’t necessary. In humans, this mirrors how the Head Brain evaluates the cost of helping and may either support or override the compassionate instincts of the Heart Brain.

Chocolate and the Power of Sacrifice

The chocolate-sharing moment reveals a profound lesson: empathy isn’t just about feeling; it’s about doing. In a world where resources are finite, sharing requires intentional action and often comes at a personal cost. Yet, in these experiments, the rats demonstrated that sharing—even when it wasn’t required or expected—was part of their empathetic response.

This brings us back to the earlier question: Would we humans act similarly? Consider a scenario where you’ve been given a limited resource—maybe your time, energy, or a rare treat. Would you instinctively share it with someone else, even if it meant you’d have less for yourself? Or would your Head Brain rationalize keeping it, convincing you that you’ve “earned it” or “deserve it more”?

Evolutionary Roots of Empathy and 3 Brains Intelligence

The study sheds light on the evolutionary origins of empathy, which is central to the 3 Brains Intelligence Coaching Certification. Researchers believe that helping behavior evolved as a survival mechanism, rooted in maternal instincts to care for offspring. Over time, these nurturing behaviors likely generalized to include broader social bonds, fostering cooperation and mutual support within groups.

Interestingly, the experiment revealed gender differences among the rats. Female rats were consistently more likely to free their trapped peers and share resources than males. This aligns with the evolutionary perspective that caregiving and empathy may have been more strongly selected traits in females, driven by their role in nurturing offspring.

However, empathy isn’t just a reflex. As Frans de Waal, a primatologist and expert on empathy, explains: “It is an intelligent response, but the motivation is, as in humans, an empathic process that is fairly automatic.” This automaticity, rooted in subcortical brain structures, illustrates how empathy operates below the level of conscious thought.

Implications for Humans: Empathy in Action

The rat experiments reveal critical insights about human behavior. While we may have more complex cognitive abilities, the underlying mechanisms of empathy are strikingly similar. This raises an important question: why do some people act on their empathy while others hesitate?

The answer often lies in the balance—or imbalance—of our three brains:

Overthinking (Head Brain): Excessive analysis can lead to paralysis, preventing us from taking empathetic action.
Overwhelmed by Stress (Gut Brain): If stress levels are too high, we may shut down emotionally, even if our Heart Brain urges us to act.
Empathy in Harmony (Heart Brain): When our Heart Brain connects with our Gut Brain’s ability to act and the Head Brain’s ability to plan, we’re more likely to engage in pro-social behavior.

Practical Tips: Using 3 Brains Intelligence to Harness Empathy

To cultivate empathy and translate it into meaningful action, consider these strategies:

Listen to Your Heart Brain: Pay attention to feelings of compassion or concern for others. These signals are your Heart Brain urging you to connect.
Manage Gut Brain Stress: Practice mindfulness, deep breathing, or other stress-regulation techniques to prevent overwhelm.
Engage Your Head Brain Constructively: Use your Head Brain to think of practical ways to help, but don’t let overanalysis block your actions.
Act Without Hesitation: Often, the simple act of helping—whether offering a kind word or lending a hand—reinforces empathy and strengthens your social bonds.

Bridging Science, 3 Brains Coaching, and Everyday Life

The rats’ willingness to share their chocolate challenges us to reflect on our own capacity for empathy. Their behavior wasn’t calculated or rationalized; it was instinctive and deeply rooted in emotional resonance. As humans, we have the advantage of aligning this natural empathy with conscious choice through the interplay of our three brains.

So the next time you feel the pull to help or share, ask yourself: If a rat can share its most prized possession chocolate, what do I need to do the same?

By tuning into the wisdom of your Heart, Gut, and Head Brains, you can make choices that honor your innate empathy and create a ripple effect of compassion in the world.

Empathy, after all, isn’t just about understanding—it’s about action. And sometimes, that action starts with something as simple as sharing a piece of chocolate.

📖 Read the original source article article to explore the remarkable findings: https://news.uchicago.edu/story/helping-your-fellow-rat-rodents-show-empathy-driven-behavior

#Empathy #3BrainsIntelligence #Neuroscience #AnimalIntelligence #HeartBrain #ICF ❤️🐭