Empathy in elephants final.pdf (102.41 kB)
Do elephants show empathy?
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 16:40 authored by Lucy BatesLucy Bates, Phyllis C Lee, Norah Njiraini, Joyce H Poole, Katito Sayialel, Soila Sayialel, Cynthia J Moss, Richard W ByrneElephants show a rich social organization and display a number of unusual traits. In this paper, we analyse reports collected over a thirty-five year period, describing behaviour that has the potential to reveal signs of empathic understanding. These include coalition formation, the offering of protection and comfort to others, retrieving and ‘babysitting’ calves, aiding individuals that would otherwise have difficulty in moving, and removing foreign objects attached to others. These records demonstrate that an elephant is capable of diagnosing animacy and goal directedness, and is able to understand the physical competence, emotional state and intentions of others, when they differ from its own. We argue that an empathic understanding of others is the simplest explanation of these abilities, and discuss reasons why elephants appear to show empathy more than other non-primate species.
History
Publication status
- Published
File Version
- Accepted version
Journal
Journal of Consciousness StudiesISSN
1355-8250Publisher
IngentaIssue
10-11Volume
15Page range
204-225Department affiliated with
- Psychology Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes