Intro into behaviourism, Terms & concept, Animal studies

Question 1

What is the preferred methodology that was used and explain why

Answer 1

Experimental methods:

• allows researchers to control very precisely the conditions under which learned occurs
• allows interference to be drawn about cause and effect relationships between the variables studied
• control over conditions that influence learning by deliberately manipulating to assess their effects on a particular set of target behaviours

Question 2

list the 4 key assumptions to the learning approach of Behaviourism

Answer 2

• Born a black slate
• Mind is a black box
• Only study observable behaviour
• Animals and humans learn in similar ways

Question 3

Describe the 4 key assumptions to the learning approach of Behaviourism

*normally 3 marks in the test = give 3 points (being simplified is fine)

Answer 3

Born a black slate:

• mind is an empty vessel at the start but only instincts exist art birth
• all behaviours are learned from the environment
• rejects behaviour is determined by biological causes

Mind is a black box:

• mind is a black box which can’t be accessed. concerned with observable behaviour
• pointless leaning something that cant be seen as there are abstract concepts + hard to measure
• observable (external) behaviour can be objectively and scientifically measured

Only study observable behaviour:

• strive to be scientific a psychologist and only study observable behaviour + supported by empirical data (like lab experiments)
• theoretical goal is predictions and control
• it can objectively measured (psychical proof/ unbiased no judgement) rather than things like cognitive process

Animals and humans learn in similar ways:

• uses lab experiments on animals and humans
• strong controls to draw out the cause-&-effect
• laws of behaviour are equally the same (animals and humans)

Question 4

What are the 3 R’s in Animal studies?

*invasive techniques = seff-explanatory (cutting, puncturing, inserting instruments in the body)

Answer 4

Reduction (animals in research):

• improving experimental techniques
• improving techniques of data analysis
• sharing information with other researcher

Refinement (refine exp to reduce suffering of animals):

• using less invasive techniques
• better medical care
• better living conditions

Replacement (replace animals with alternative techniques):

• avoid/minimise discomfort
• discuss research with colleagues and H.O inspectors
• do the end justify the mean
• consider alternatives

Question 5

To follow with the 3 R’s what factors come to play to achieve this?

• just mention the main factors & some other bits of info to show the examiner that you know your shit
• think of it as a describe question
• HO = home office

Answer 5

The Law:

• bill on animals passed in 1986
• no comply = prosecuted
• need a project license to carry out a regulated procedure in addition to specific conditions being met
• inspection system to check of any violation

Food preparation:

• may not cause suffering
• deprivation studies = consider normal feeding/drinking patterns of the animals (depends on species)

Electric shock:

• HO control permissible level of shock
• monitor implementation of animal (scientific procedure, bill of 1986)
• UK’s average shock level, time = 0.68 mili-amperes. 0.57 seconds (similar to unpleasant tickling sensation on humans)

Pain, Distress & Surgery:

• no licence & cause pain, distress, surgery by procedures = illegal
• have licence & appropriate certificates = must show no alternative way
• surgery by experienced staff
• animals given time to recover if not euthanise as humanely possible

Understanding species difference:

• caging = enough space, similar natural environment (warmth, exercise), not overcrowded, social species with its own kind
• social animals = social setting with a source of cognitive stimulation (e.g. monkeys)
• disturbance of non-humans kept at a minimum = cause breeding, survival success to decease (using lab reared monkeys than wild ones)

Minimum no. of animals and endangered species:

• minimum no. of animals required to produce valid and reliable results
• if valid justification that other animals cant be used = endangered species is permitted to be of use
• 85% are rats, mice and other rodents in the 3mil experiments in the UK

Cost-benefit analysis:
the quality of research - assessed by funding agency, considered quality is high and the funding will have definite benefits

the amount of suffering- assessed through behaviour and signs of stress from the animal. unable fully recognise if animals are stressed or not as some go completely rigid and silent

the likelihood of benefit - drawing hypotheses help create insight into human behaviour and if it will be useful but can be hard to judge in advance but important as animals can suffer unnecessarily

Question 6

Describe what an animal experiment is

*remember describe questions are asking what are the component’s of the specific thing being asked + add some of your own knowledge but that’s it

Answer 6

• manipulate some IV (either the animals environment like Pavlov + skinner or genetically change it by genetically altering it)
• based on evolutionary theory
• artificial task = pulling lever for food (basically anything that doesnt normally occur in their normal behaviour)
• variables are = control food diet (participant variable) controlled
• standardised procedure = just the procedure of the test
• scientific setting = in the man made creation e.g. skinner man made box of electrocution and lever

Question 7

Define Anthropomorphism and give an reason/example as to why its often criticised

Answer 7

1. the belief that animal behaviour is due to the same type of thinking and reasoning as humans even though there is no real evidence to this belief
2. for one there is no real hard proof evidence to back this up but an example is the mathematical horse: 20th century, Germany Baron von osten claimed his horse is smart but in actuality the horse was unconscious changes its answer in response to Osten facial expression

Question 8

Strengths: (statement form)

*statements that are PEE themselves in addition to other information to add on to it

Answer 8

• Drugs have been developed that could otherwise not have been developed. Damage to the brain of a human to study drugs would be unethical = ethical (A03), wont be able to make useful contributions as test on humans are dangerous + developed psychophrenia drugs
• Procedures can be carried out on animals that cant be dome on humans e.g. ablation and lesioning = practical (AO3), as any serous effect can be noted and taken into consideration in the future and humans dont need to be put in any danger
• some procedures require strict control over the environment, this many not be possible for humans =
  practical (A03), rats and other rodents are perfect for this experiment as they don’t need a lot of resources compared to a grown human hence animals are able to easily fill in the requirements
• pro-speciesism suggest that we ought o do all we can to protect our own species = ethical (A03) main goal is to have humanity have as much benefits and have better lives
• the knowledge obtained may also improve the lives of the species being tested on = practical (A03), animals can be altered to love longer, higher survivalabilty hence its benefits both groups in the long term
• some animals have very short gestation periods and short reproductive cycles, therefore multiple generations can be studies with animals which would be impractical with humans = ethical & practical (A03) more the main reason to not use humans as experiment subjects + able to see different genetics in following generations and their behaviour development hence increase validity
• relatively small and easy to handle and some animals such as mice have similar brain structure to humans =
  practical (A03), can potentially five insight for humans can can be generalised easily if its true, no side effects therefore it can easily applied to other mice’s
• drugs have been developed from animal research which benefitted both animals and humans, such as insulin for diabetes and drugs for Parkinson’s disease = practical (A03), with current development can be used to make a hypothesis that it could potentially have other miracle drugs, solution for what humans are suffering with

Question 9

Weakness: (statement form)

*statements that are PEE themselves in addition to other information to add on to it

Answer 9

• animals should be treated ethically, they are not sufficiently different from humans to be treated as objects = ethical (A03) however is hadn’t been proven if animals have conscious as all we know the could be reacting out of instinct but they are still living beings
• animals can also feel pain and there are a lot of them being uses as test subjects = ethical (A03) scientifically proven that all living beings fell pain and give an adequate response like a scream, roar, squeak etc
• the brains of animals are not the same as humans: results may not be generalisable = practical (A03) living being have brain that allow them to think or for those less evolved they rely on instinct to survive, humans are just too developed compared to other species
• some diseases (Parkinson’s) have to be replicated in animals using drugs and so may not be the same as the disease itself therefore studies may lack validity = natural/artificial disease can give different outcomes on humans compared to animals (A03)
• for example the morning sickness drug (used on pregnant women and the result was a limbless baby = cant make assumption) thalidomide showed negative outcomes for humans but not for animals = practical (A03) humans and other animals aren’t fully genetically similar so its not generalisable
• their genetic structure is not the same as humans: results may not be generalisable = practical (A03) but humans do have some common genes in rats and mice therefore can have some generalisability
• some procedures require accessing specific parts of the brain that might then be damaged = ethical (A03), affects their quality of life long and short term
• animals in experiments are not in their natural surroundings therefore are in distressing conditions = ethical (A03) not only effects their quality of life but if in distressed conditions continuously then it will just delay the experiment, waste resources to make it numb to it, takes too long, not an infinite number of test subject to use
• humans lives are complex and factors rarely occur in isolation = ethical (A03) human behaviour are extremely complex and are completely opposite from animals e.g. rat eats something = was poisoned/unhealthy for them = avoids but humans eats burger (fatty) = unhealthy for us = continue to eat it
• anti-speciesism suggest the likely benefits of research focus on the benefits from humans and not animals which is unfair = ethical (A03) too controversial and basically a 50/50 split of aggreges and disagrees so hard to come to a conclusion to take into consideration