BPS Guidelines for Psychologists
working with animals-2007
Do the ends ever justify the
means?
• Each person will have their own views on
this.
• Is the animal suffering caused by certain
types of reseach outweighed by the
benefits to humanity?
• Bateson (1986) expressed this as a 3D
graph see text book page 154-156
Bateson cube
• The cube has 3 axes measuring suffering, certainty of
benefit and quality of research.
• If the research is high quality, certain to be beneficial and
not going to inflict suffering then it will fall into the hollow
section (top front) meaning research should proceed.
• Painful, low quality research with lower likelihood of
success will be bottom back in the solid and should not
proceed.
• Most research will not be clear cut but the rule is solid
should not continue, hollow should.
• The problem of course is how to determine benefit in
advance. Also who will decide on quality of research
and the level of suffering? Both of which are subjective
measures.
The 3 Rs
1. Replacement of animals by other methods
such as computer models and simulations.
2. Reduction in the number of animals
used. More advanced statistical methods can
be used allowing significant results based on
lower numbers. Sharing of information between
institutions allows the number of replications to
be reduced.
3. Refinement of experimental methods to inflict
less pain and suffering.
BPS Guidelines for Psychologists
working with animals-2007
States:
Psychologists must adhere to the legal requirements of the
country they are working in.
Psychologists have to be aware of endangered species or
threatened species and act appropriately.
Research must be prefaced with a covering letter stating
this.
• Replacing use of animals
Videos and computer simulations have to be
used where possible.
Ideal for teaching situations.
e.g. Ratlife and Sniffy the Rat
BPS Guidelines for Psychologists
working with animals-2007
• Choice of species and strain
Species should be carefully chosen
to ensure effectiveness with
minimal suffering-knowledge of
species and history of individual
animals vital
Choices have to be justified on
project licence application
Different strains of rodents are
physiologically different and
need to be chosen carefully.
Transgenic mice may be used as
no harm to organism is
observed.
BPS Guidelines for Psychologists
working with animals-2007
• Number of animals
1986 Act-legally required to use
smallest number of animals
possible
National Centre for 3Rs
(Replacement, Refinement and
Reduction) can provide advice
on how the use of better
methodologies/designs and
statistical analysis can help
achieve this.
BPS Guidelines for Psychologists
working with animals-2007
• Procedures
Project licence
Registered establishment
Personal licence
Local ethical review process (Committee)
Home Office
Identify costs to animals in reports/journals
BPS Guidelines for Psychologists
working with animals-2007
• Procedures (contd)
Housing- caging needs to take into account the social
behaviour of species
Reward, deprivation, aversive stimulation- periods of
deprivation of food should be short and species specific
Aggression and predation- natural encounters
preferable if staged animals should be protected
Fieldwork- should not disturb the ecosystem or interrupt
species reproduction and survival
Anaesthesia, analgesia and euthanasia- animals
should have access to pain relief and be destroyed
humanely if suffering
BPS Guidelines for Psychologists
working with animals-2007
• Procurement
Home Office Designated Breeding and
Supply Establishments.
Wild caught animals- refer to ASAB website
BPS Guidelines for Psychologists
working with animals-2007
• Animal Care
Housing and husbandry
conditions must be within
guidelines
Captive animals should be kept
in conditions closely
resembling their natural
conditions as much as
possible
Need to foster habituation to
minimise stress
Animal care personnel must be
trained
BPS Guidelines for Psychologists
working with animals-2007
• Disposing of animals
Distribute to other colleagues
if deemed possible by
home office
If disposed of- it must be
done humanely
Death must be confirmed
before disposal
Vets must be consulted
BPS Guidelines for Psychologists
working with animals-2007
• Animals in psychology teaching
Teachers have a responsibility to
educate pupils on ethical issues
Coursework on animals may be
possible but tests to show known
facts are prohibited
Use of film/video should be
encouraged
Undergraduates must work within a
project licence
Post graduates need personal
licence
Sometimes it is hard to justify!
Harry Harlow
Rhesus monkeys
Removed from mothers at birth and
given surrogates, usually made from
wire or terry cloth.
Distress caused during
procedure. Unable to develop normal
social relationships with other members
of species. Picked on by other monkeys
who see them as very submissive and
timid.
Questioned the psychodynamic and
behaviourist theories of attachment
since it suggests food was not
crucial. Evidence for the long term
effects of privation.
Over to you
• Read and make key point notes from your
text book
Complete the HW sheet using the BPS
guidelines on ILearn