Module : Human Psychology

Topic: Introduction to
Psychology
Miss .Afifa Nukhat
Visiting Lecturer

Week 4
Chapter 1
Human Psycholoy

Rakhshanda Shahnaz

Ch 1 -2
Lecture Objectives
This lecturer aims:
 Research With Animals

Ch 1 -3
Research With Animals
 Because animals make up an important part of the
natural world, and because some research cannot be
conducted using humans, animals are also
participants in psychological research
 Most psychological research using animals is now
conducted with rats, mice, and birds, and the use of
other animals in research is declining

Ch 1 -4
Research With Animals (Cont’d)

 As with ethical decisions involving human participants, a

set of basic principles has been developed that helps
researchers make informed decisions about such
research; a summary is shown below
 Here we will describe the ethics of animal research in detail

Ch 1 -5
Research With Animals (Cont’d)

 APA Guidelines on Humane Care and Use of Animals in

Research
 The following are some of the most important ethical
principles from the American Psychological Association’s
guidelines on research with animals
 Psychologists acquire, care for, use, and dispose of
animals in compliance with current federal, state, and
local laws and regulations, and with professional
standards

Ch 1 -6
Research With Animals (Cont’d)

 Psychologists trained in research methods and

experienced in the care of laboratory animals supervise
all procedures involving animals and are responsible for
ensuring appropriate consideration of their comfort,
health, and humane treatment
 Psychologists ensure that all individuals under their
supervision who are using animals have received
instruction in research methods and in the care,
maintenance, and handling of the species being used, to
the extent appropriate to their role
Ch 1 -7
Research With Animals (Cont’d)

 Psychologists make reasonable efforts to minimize the

discomfort, infection, illness, and pain of animal subjects
 Psychologists use a procedure subjecting animals to pain,
stress, or privation only when an alternative procedure is
unavailable and the goal is justified by its prospective
scientific, educational, or applied value

Ch 1 -8
Research With Animals (Cont’d)

 Psychologists perform surgical procedures under

appropriate anesthesia and follow techniques to avoid
infection and minimize pain during and after surgery
 When it is appropriate that an animal’s life be terminated,
psychologists proceed rapidly, with an effort to minimize
pain and in accordance with accepted procedures

Ch 1 -9
Research With Animals (Cont’d)

 Because the use of animals in research involves a

personal value, people naturally disagree about this
practice
 Although many people accept the value of such research
a minority of people, including animal-rights activists,
believes that it is ethically wrong to conduct research on
animals
 This argument is based on the assumption that because
animals are living creatures just as humans are, no harm
should ever be done to them.

Ch 1 -10
Research With Animals (Cont’d)

 Most scientists, however, reject this view

 They argue that such beliefs ignore the potential benefits
that have and continue to come from research with
animals
 For instance, drugs that can reduce the incidence of
cancer or AIDS may first be tested on animals, and
surgery that can save human lives may first be practiced
on animals

Ch 1 -11
Research With Animals (Cont’d)

 Research on animals has also led to a better

understanding of the physiological causes of depression,
phobias, and stress, among other illnesses
 In contrast to animal-rights activists, then, scientists
believe that because there are many benefits that accrue
from animal research, such research can and should
continue as long as the humane treatment of the animals
used in the research is guaranteed

Ch 1 -12
 Research With Animals (Cont’d)

KEY TAKEAWAYS
 Psychologists use the scientific method to generate,

accumulate, and report scientific knowledge

 Basic research, which answers questions about behavior,

and applied research, which finds solutions to everyday

problems, inform each other and work together to advance
science.

Ch 1 -13
Research With Animals (Cont’d)

 Research reports describing scientific studies are

published in scientific journals so that other scientists and
laypersons may review the empirical findings
 Organizing principles, including laws, theories and
research hypotheses, give structure and uniformity to
scientific methods

Ch 1 -14
Research With Animals (Cont’d)
 Concerns for conducting ethical research are vital.
Researchers assure that participants are given free
choice to participate and that their privacy is protected
 Informed consent and debriefing help provide kind
treatment of participants
 A cost-benefit analysis is used to determine what
research should and should not be allowed to proceed

Ch 1 -15
Research With Animals (Cont’d)

 EXERCISES AND CRITICAL THINKING

 Give an example from personal experience of how you
or someone you know have benefited from the results of
scientific research
 Find and discuss a research project that in your opinion
has ethical concerns. Explain why you find these
concerns to be troubling

Ch 1 -16
Research With Animals (Cont’d)

 Indicate your personal feelings about the use of animals

in research
 When should and should not animals be used? What
principles have you used to come to these conclusions

Ch 1 -17
Research With Animals (Cont’d)

 Which animal you will choose in any research

 And give the reason why you will use this animal

Ch 1 -18
 Any question
afifanukhat@uosahiwal.edu.pk

Ch 1 -19
Many Thanks

Ch 1 -20