Ratomorphism

High 32, Wintery mix

I have been reading a bit about animal behavior lately and came upon an interesting idea.  For as long as I have been studying biology, I have known of the concept of "anthropomorphism," ascribing human thoughts and emotions to animals.  For years this has allowed scientists to reason out particular behaviors.  The desire to explain animal behavior, such a human desire, runs deep.  Do animals really "care for" their young?  Do spiders spin a web to catch prey? 

Over the past century or so, scientists have found that it is nearly impossible to infer anything from the behavior of animals.  Studies on the behavior of rats in artificial conditions have brought up more questions than they have answered about the natural behavior of animals.  In fact, after watching lab rats navigate these abnormal conditions, scientists began explaining human behavior in terms of rat behavior.  I suppose that "gut decisions" and some "human instincts" seem more akin to the behavior of other animals.  But it's not that simple.  This "ratomorphic" view of human behavior appears just as misleading as the anthropomorhic view of animal behavior.