Department of Psychology, Human Evolution and Cognition Group (EvoCog), UIB, IFISC, Associated Unit to CSIC, 07122, Palma, Spain.
Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc. 2018 Feb;93(1):248-269. doi: 10.1111/brv.12342. Epub 2017 May 25.
While empathy is a century-old psychological concept, its study in non-human animals has become the focus of much recent scientific interest, as it promises to provide the clues to understand the evolutionary origins of our social and moral nature. A review of the comparative study of empathy is thus timely to complement and constrain anthropocentric views, and to integrate current findings. However, this is not an easy task. The study of animal empathy has developed using different paradigms, different concepts of the phenomena involved, and the absence of a systematic program. Herein, we carry out a comprehensive review of the literature on complex forms of empathy in non-human animals: sympathetic concern and empathic perspective-taking. In particular, we focus on consolation and targeted helping, as the best examples of each category. In so doing, we try to shed light on the current debate concerning whether these phenomena are exclusively human traits. First, we try to clarify the terminology and taxonomy of forms of empathy, providing operative criteria for these phenomena that are applicable to both human and non-human animals. Second, we discuss whether the available evidence qualifies such behaviour as empathic. Third, we aim to provide an integrative view of the field, clarifying the challenges and conditions to satisfy. We also hope to highlight the importance of the study of these processes for elucidating the evolutionary history of this capacity across the animal kingdom.
虽然同理心是一个具有百年历史的心理学概念，但它在非人类动物中的研究最近成为了许多科学关注的焦点，因为它有望为理解我们的社会和道德本性的进化起源提供线索。因此，对同理心的比较研究进行综述，及时补充和限制人类中心主义的观点，并整合当前的发现，是很有必要的。然而，这并非易事。动物同理心的研究使用了不同的范式、不同的概念来研究相关现象，而且缺乏系统性的方案。在此，我们对非人类动物复杂形式同理心的文献进行了全面综述：同情关注和同理心视角。特别是，我们关注安慰和有针对性的帮助，因为这是每种类别中的最佳例子。通过这样做，我们试图阐明关于这些现象是否是人类特有的这一当前争论。首先，我们试图澄清同理心形式的术语和分类学，为这些适用于人类和非人类动物的现象提供操作性标准。其次，我们讨论了现有证据是否将这种行为定性为同理心。第三，我们旨在提供该领域的综合观点，阐明满足这些挑战和条件的方法。我们还希望强调研究这些过程对于阐明动物王国中这种能力的进化历史的重要性。
