Controversy - Non Human Animals Flashcards
What is ethological psychology?
Study animals in ways that do not affect their behaviour. Focus on innate behaviour.
Konrad Lorenz - baby geese ‘goslings’, imprinting on the first moving thing they see.
Applied to child parent relationships in humans that we attach to the first moving thing we see - our mothers.
What is comparative psychology?
Researcher?
Study of non human animals with the intention of making comparisons with humans.
Focuses on learned behaviour.
Harry Harlow - intention was to study primates to learn more about human behaviour. Did in controlled, artificial conditions. Ethically questionable.
What was Harry harlows research?
Benefit ?
Ethical concerns?
What have the findings meant?
2 surrogate mothers - cloth and no food or wire and food.
2 primates separated at birth were scared - who would they run? Cloth mother.
Benefit - changes to child rearing practices in society. More focus on emotional and physical care. It challenges the idea of cupboard love - bond over who fed them.
Ethical issues - animal anxiety, separated from biological mother at birth. Distress - rocking back and forth.
Findings have improved many lives of primates in captivity.
Comparative psychology focuses on qualitative and quantitative similarities and differences between animal and human behaviour - what does this mean?
Quantitative - physical, measurable differences like brain structure.
Qualitative - differences in experiences and thoughts.
What benefits in terms of ethical issues does ethological psychology have over comparative psychology?
Practical and ethical concerns?
Deliberate experimental manipulation of the animal is not the goals of the ethologist. Animals are studied in natural or near natural environments reducing the ethical concern over the manipulation of animal species.
Animals are not always visible so some behaviour may be missed.
Presence of the researcher in a natural environment may distress some animals leading to changes in behaviour which can cause harm.
What is the absolutist view?
What’s the Moral obligation view?
What’s the utilitarian view?
Tom Regan - any creature which has beliefs, desires, sense of future, emotional life, ability to act in pursuit of Goals has moral value and should not be harmed for research.
Jeffrey gray - help humans before other animals. Animal suffering is less Important than humans. Animal experimentation is no different to farming.
Peter singer - the view held that humans are superior to animals in speciesism. It’s similar to racism and therefore illogical. Results in the greatest good for the greatest number.
What criticism are there of singers view?
Unpredictable - researchers cannot know the future, things don’t turn out as we think. Cant judge right and wrongs of animal research based on outcomes that can’t be fully predicted.
Immeasurable - animal suffering is subjective. Cant determine whether the benefits outweigh the suffering.
When can animals be used, the act?
When is this granted?
Only relates to who?
Legislation to protect animals.
Uk Animals Act 1886 - licensed labs, licensed projects, licensed researcher.
Only granted if:
- important enough
-can’t use animals
- minimal number of animals used
- suffering minimise
Only relates to vertebrates (octopus in 1993)
In 2000 what did the home office publish?
What did the British Psychological society say?
Criticisms of animal legislation?
Replace animals with alternatives
Reduce the number of animals used
Refine procedures to minimise harm.
British psychological society - conform to current laws, follow 3 r’s, choose suitable specified, extends to all animals in facility.
Suffering is subjective. Laws can be poorly enforced and outdated.
Who monitors the 3rs?
What’s the study?
National centre for replacement, refinement and reduction in Animals.
Kilkenny et al - 271 studies in us and Uk that used animals, only 59% recorded the use of animals.
Suggest cant be montitored as not all reports.
Ban animal studies if the restraint dont work or improve them.
What is AAT?
What have supports said?
What about in a therapy situation?
Animal assisted therapy - the goal is to improve a patients social, emotional or cogntivd funcfioning by transferring the social skills learnt with animals to humans.
Supports state animals can be useful in education and promoting motivation.
Cbt a therapist who brings a pet may be viewed as less threatening increasing the connection between the therapist and client.
How can horses be used in therapy?
How are dolphins used? Support/weakness?
Equine assisted therapy. Promotes physical, occupational and emotional growth.
Help ADHD, anxiety, autism etc…
Works alongside other therapies.
Dolphins - swimming.
Supports have said extraordinary results of the therapy and breakthroughs in outcomes.
No long term benefit. Flawed observations. Not effective and presents considerable risks to both humans and patients held in captivity.
What are the benefits of using animals in therapy?
Ethical issues?
Benefit - traditional counselling difficult can help. Can help develop communication skills.
Ethical issues - concerns about animal welfare when not used, held in captivity.
Friedman and son - 28 studies using AAT, all beneficial for emotional problems.
Criticisied that it’s the further interaction with the therapist and not the animal.
No greater benefit then letting same amount of time pass - Anetis et al.
