Ethics in Research

The use of animals in research is widely debated and involves complex issues.

- Animal welfare

- Worries about extinction of species

Animals are used in research to gain knowledge that will benefit humans, for example, by helping to cure diseases.

Researchers are ethically obligated to protect the welfare of research animals and to treat them humanely.

They are generally used in researches in order to

- Testing effect of drugs/medicines

- Firstly expose to disease

- Drug treatments

- Results monitoring

- They are frequently used for behavioral researchers in order to empirically establish their learning theories and treatments.

- Specific animals are chosen because they are good models of human responses

Humane care and use of Animals in Research

Psychologists acquire, care for, use and dispose of animals in compliance with current federal, state and local laws and regulations, and with professional standards. E.g. CARE (Committee on Animal Research and Experimentations) in US

- Suffering should be balanced

- Should have valuable purpose and research significance

Trained and experienced psychologists will supervise the procedures and will be responsible for their (animals) comfort, health and humane treatment.

- Instructions will be given to all the individuals using animals regarding the care, maintenance and handling of the species being used, to the extent appropriate to their role.

- Psychologists make reasonable efforts to minimize the discomfort, infection, illness and pain to animal subjects.

- Psychologists use a procedure subjecting animals to pain, stress or privation (adversity) only when an alternative is unavailable and the goal is justified by its prospective scientific, educational, or applied value.

- Psychologists perform surgical procedures under appropriate anesthesia and follow techniques to avoid infections and minimize pain during and after surgery.

- When it is appropriate that the animal's life be terminated, psychologists proceed rapidly, with an effort to minimize pain during and after surgery.

APA Code for Animal Research (1985)

The guidelines deal with

1. Need to justify the study
2. Proper acquisition and care
3. Use of animals for educational rather than 'just' research purposes.

Examples

- Split brain experiments on cats and monkeys

- Use of mice in studying avoidance and escape phenomena.

- Use of Rabbits, Cats, Pigeons and Dogs in learning experiments.

- ................Reference
Shaughnessy, J. J., and Zechmeister, E. B. (1994). Research Methods in Psychology. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc.

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