The true spirit of Christmas lies in kindness and generosity to those around us. Usually, this is a time when we think about those in society who need help the most, and even the Ebenezer Scrooges learn to care about the Tiny Tims, inviting people in from the cold. This year has been unlike any other, and that feels very strange to many of us – but loving your neighbour and protecting the elderly and sick in society is still as important as ever. Even when there might only be a tiny risk to ourselves, we all understand that for others the risk could be much greater. And so many of us will be celebrating by ourselves this year to keep the virus from spreading.

 

These actions are a type of altruism - when you do something at a cost to your own wellbeing or happiness for the benefit of others. This behaviour can be traced back to prehistory, with burials that show humans have been looking after their elderly and disabled for a long, long time.

 

But is this just a human phenomenon? No, not at all. Other social animals look after one another in this way too. Lets delve a bit deeper, and look at an animal with a bad reputation, that might surprise you… rats.

A study on rats from 2011 explored two scenarios:

 

First, one rat was put into a box, which they could not escape from on their own, next to a pile of delicious chocolate chips. Then a second rat was released, and had to choose what to do next – would they free the other rat and then have to share the treat, or would they eat the treat for themselves?

 

The study found that in the vast majority of cases, they would listen to the distress calls from their fellow rat, and free them before both sharing the chocolate chips.

 

Next, the study went further. A rat was given a choice to enter one of two boxes. In one was a pile of delicious chocolate chips, while the other had a fellow rat, constrained in an uncomfortable position, asking (in rat speak) for help. To choose to help would be to forego the chocolate chips altogether.

 

Can you guess what happened next? Yep, you guessed it – once again, the vast majority of rats chose to help rather than to get a treat. This, too, is altruism.

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The 'Experience' case in Manchester Museum's Living Worlds gallery displays a rat alongside other animals that have been given bad press, especially in popular fiction, and which people often see as scary: skunks, toads, bats, and a wolf specimen mounted to appear like it's snarling, with blood all over its mouth. But even with animals with a bad reputation like these, kindness is everywhere – you only need to know to look for it.

 

With many thanks to all those who have continued to show kindness with their altruistic behaviour throughout 2020. It is very much appreciated.

 

Take care of one another, and yourself this Christmas!

 

Bryony Rigby

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Title image: Taxidermy rat, 'Experience' case, Living Worlds, Manchester Museum