Post-aggression consolation is assumed to occur in humans as well as in chimpanzees.
While consolation following peer aggression has been observed in children, systematic evidence of consolation in human adults is rare. We used surveillance camera footage of the
immediate aftermath of nonfatal robberies to observe the behaviors and ...
Post-aggression consolation is assumed to occur in humans as well as in chimpanzees.
While consolation following peer aggression has been observed in children, systematic evidence of consolation in human adults is rare. We used surveillance camera footage of the
immediate aftermath of nonfatal robberies to observe the behaviors and characteristics of
victims and bystanders. Consistent with empathy explanations, we found that consolation
was linked to social closeness rather than physical closeness. While females were more
likely to console than males, males and females were equally likely to be consoled. Furthermore, we show that high levels of threat during the robbery increased the likelihood of
receiving consolation afterwards. These patterns resemble post-aggression consolation in
chimpanzees and suggest that emotions of empathic concern are involved in consolation
across humans and chimpanzees.