Animal Experimentation & Value Judgments

AP PsychologyMs. Desgrosellier9.28.2009

Objectives: SWBAT explain why psychologists

study animals, and discuss ethics of experimentation with both animals and humans.

SWBAT describe how personal values can influence psychologists’ research and its application, and discuss psychology’s potential to manipulate people.

Why do psychologists study animals?

Because they find them fascinating Because they can help us better

understand human behavior similar physiology Processes are the same in rats and

monkeys.

Is it ethical to experiment on animals? If we are so similar, than shouldn’t we

respect them? Animal protection movement protests the

use of animals in research. 30 million animals used in research each

year - but only a fraction of the animals killed for food.

200,000 cats and dogs used in experimentation with humane regulations, but animal shelters are forced to kill 50 times that many.

Is it ethical to experiment on animals? Psychologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

advocates for naturalistic observation. What we have learned from animal research:

training children with mental disorders understanding aging relieving fears and depression controlling obesity, alcoholism, and stress-related

pain and disease According to a Gallup survey in Canada and the US,

about 6 in 10 adults deem medical testing on animals “morally acceptable.” In Britain, only 37% do.

Two issues: Is it right to place the well-being of humans

above that of animals? Defenders of animal research say that if you use

animals for other things (e.g. leather, food, sport), then you agree that it is at least sometimes okay to sacrifice animals for the sake of human well-being.

However, Scott Plous (1993) noted that our compassion for animals varies, based on our perceived similarities.

Primates and pets get the most compassion

Two issues: What about the well-being of animals in

research? Most researchers agree that we need to enhance

the well-being of captive animals and protect them from unnecessary suffering.

APA guideline regarding the ethical treatment of animals: ensuring the comfort, health, and humane

treatment of animals, and of minimizing infection, illness, and pain of animal subjects.

Benefits for animals?

Reducing stress levels for dogs in shelters, helping them adjust to new adoptive homes

Animals in zoos Bottom line: psychology is concerned

for humans and sensitive to animals, serving the welfare of both.

Animal Ethics Activity Pretend your group is an ethics

committee for experiments. With your table, read your assigned

case. Decide with your group whether or

not the experiment proposed is ethical or not.

Will you let them conduct the experiment? Why or why not?

Is it ethical to experiment on people?

Generally, research on people is harmless. However, sometimes researchers

temporarily deceive or stress people, but only when they believe it is essential to a justifiable end, such as understanding and controlling violent behavior or mood swings.

When the experiment wouldn’t work if the participants knew everything beforehand.

Is it ethical to experiment on people? APA standards:

Obtain the informed consent of potential participants

protect them from harm and discomfort treat information about individual participants

confidentially fully explain the research afterward Also, there are ethics committees in universities

to enforce these guidelines NO standards for research conducted outside of

universities (e.g. retail store surveys, advertising, etc.)

Is psychology free of value judgments? Psychology is definitely not value-free. Values affect what we study, how we study it, and

how we interpret results Our preconceptions can bias our observations and

interpretations; sometimes we see what we want or expect to see

The words we use to describe a phenomenon can reflect our values. e.g. firm vs. stubborn; careful vs. picky If you accept professional guidance from psychology,

you are accepting value-laden advice.

What do you see?

Is psychology potentially dangerous?

Common sense or dangerously powerful??? Can it be used to manipulate people? Good and evil - used to educate AND

deceive people. Its purpose is to enlighten - enhance

learning, creativity, compassion tries to answer the big questions and issues

in life: war, love, prejudice, crime, etc.