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Psychology- Learning > Research Methods- Observations And Animal Ethics > Flashcards

Research Methods- Observations And Animal Ethics Flashcards

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1
Q

What is The Scientific Procedures Act (1986)?

A

An act that covers and protects all animal research and scientific procedures that may cause pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm to a protected animal.

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2
Q

What animals does The scientific Procedures Act (1986) protect?

A

All non-human vertebrates and a single invertebrate species (the octopus)

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3
Q

What is the Animal Welfare Act (2006)?

A

Discusses more general duties of care towards animals

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4
Q

What does the Scientific Procedure Act (SPA) enforce in terms of who can carry out procedures on animals?

A

All procedures must be carried out by someone holding a project licence and that work must be carried out in a scientific procedure establishment

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5
Q

What is an example of some of the SPA’s rules regarding breeding and testing?

A

Cats and dogs can only be used if specifically bred for lab purposes and animals who have had general anaesthetics can’t be used for more procedures

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6
Q

What measures should be put in place when caring for an animal not being used in a study?

A
  • suitable accommodation/ environment
  • suitable food + water
  • suitable amount of space
  • noover crowding when caging animals
  • social species be caged with others of its kind
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7
Q

What are the three R’s about?

A

A set of principles that scientists are encouraged to follow in order to reduce the impact of the research on animals

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8
Q

What is the first R, reduction about?

A

Reducing the number of animals used in experiments by:

  • improving experimental techniques
  • improving techniques of data analysis
  • sharing information with other researchers
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9
Q

What is the second R, refinement?

A

Refining the experiment or the way the animals are cared for so to reduce the suffering by:

  • using less invasive techniques
  • better medical care
  • better living conditions
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10
Q

What is the final R, replacement?

A

Replacing experiments on animals with alternative techniques such as:

  • experimenting on cell cultures instead of whole animals
  • using computer models
  • studying human volunteers
  • using epidemiological studies
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11
Q

What are the main aims of the animal ethical guidelines?

A
  1. Avoid/ minimise discomfort
  2. Discuss research with colleagues and H.O inspectors
  3. Do the ends justify the mean
  4. Consider alternatives
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12
Q

What does the animal ethics guideline say about the law?

A
  • anyone who fails to comply with these laws can be prosecuted
  • the Home Office has an inspection system to ensure that rules are not violated
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13
Q

What does the animal ethics guideline say about food deprivation?

A
  • it may not cause suffering
  • researchers should consider the normal feeding/ drinking patterns of animals
  • animals either fed after experiment or maintained at 85% of free-feeding body weight
  • if food is available as a reward this could be considered meeting the rules
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14
Q

What does the animal ethics guideline say about the electric shocks?

A
  • they may cause some, but not extreme pain

- the Home office controls the permissible level of shock

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15
Q

What does the animal ethics guideline say about the pain, distress and surgery?

A
  • without a HO licence and relevant certificates, procedures causing pain, distress or involving surgery are illegal
  • must be able to show that there is no alternative way of conducting the experiment
  • animals must be given time to recover and if they are unable to recover, they should be euthanised in a humane way to stop further suffering
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16
Q

What does the animal ethics guideline say about understanding species differences?

A
  • animals should be caged appropriately so that environment is similar to natural setting and there is enough space to move freely
  • understanding the stress caused by marking animals for identification
  • social animals should be in a social setting with companions and a source of cognitive stimulation e.g monkeys
  • disturbance of non-human animals should be kept to a minimum
17
Q

What does the animal ethics guideline say about cost-benefit analysis?

A

There are 3 main criteria that should be taken into account regarding the justifiability of research:

  • the quality of research
  • amount of suffering
  • likelihood of benefit
18
Q

What is the difference between zoology and psychological studies?

A

Zoology= methods primarily designed to provide insight about animals in as natural a way as possible
Psychological studies= animals are studied in an artificial environment that allows for precise control and measurement of variable

19
Q

According to the American Psychological Association, what percentage of psychological research uses animals?

A

8%

20
Q

What percentage of these animals are:

  • rodents and birds
  • primates
  • dogs and cats
A
  • rodents and birds = 90%
  • primates = 5%
  • dogs and cats =rarely
21
Q

Why do we study animals to understand human behaviour?

A
  • animals have shorter life spans so less amount of suffering
  • same species of animals have very few individual differences so easier to generalise findings
  • smaller so easier to breed
  • convenient practical as can keep in cages
  • provide explanations to a lot of human behaviours
22
Q

What does an animal experiment consist of?

A
  • artificial tasks
  • controlled variables
  • standardised tasks
  • scientific setting

An example is Pavlov’s dog. Salivation in response to a metronome was tested, there were sanded floors, metronome ticked right before presentation of food, and extraneous variables e.g noise were controlled for using sound proof rooms

23
Q

What are the strengths of using animal studies?

A
  • Animals are small and easy to handle
  • Many animals have short reproductive systems
  • Some animals have similar brain structures to humans
  • Higher validity as animals are naive participants
  • Larger samples readily available
  • Studies can easily be repeated
  • Higher control of variables
24
Q

What are the weaknesses of using animal studies?

A
  • Brains of animals not exactly the same as humans
  • Human lives are complex and rarely occur in isolation
  • Many differences between humans and animals
  • May be expensive as only the highest level of care acceptable
25
Q

What are some of the practical advantages of using animals in psychological research?

A
  • procedures requiring strict control are easier to do on animals
  • short gestation and reproductive periods
  • drugs have been developed which benefited both animals and humans e.g insulin
  • relatively small, easy to handle, and similar brain structure
26
Q

What are some of the practical disadvantages of using animals in psychological research?

A
  • human lives are more complex and rarely occur in isolation
  • animal brains aren’t the same as humans
  • studies may lack validity if diseases have to be replicated using drugs
27
Q

What are some of the ethical advantages of using animals in psychological research?

A
  • knowledge obtained may also improve the lives of the species being tested
  • damage to a human to study drugs is more unethical then using animals
  • pro-speciesim suggests that we ought to do all we can to protect our own species
28
Q

What are some of the ethical disadvantages of using animals in psychological research?

A
  • animals aren’t sufficiently different from humans so shouldn’t be treated as objects
  • animals experiments don’t take place in natural surroundings and are in distressing conditions
  • animals may feel pain
  • animal procedures could require damaging parts of the brain
  • speciesism suggested the likely benefits of research focus on the benefit to humans and not animals which is unfair
29
Q

What is a naturalistic observation? Give an example,strength and weakness

A

-observing participants in their normal everyday environment. There is no manipulation of the event. E.g observing the behaviour of students in a school setting

Strength: High external validity =ppts show natural behaviour with no demand characteristics so can be generalised to real life

Weakness: Low internal validity= low control over extraneous variables so no trustworthy cause and effect relationship

30
Q

What is a controlled observation? Give an example,strength and weakness

A

-observations in a situation that has been produced by the experimenters specifically for observation. The event is manipulated. E.g Bandura controlling which children witness the aggressive model

Strength: High internal validity= high control over extraneous variables

Weakness: Low external validity= may demonstrate demand characteristics or unnatural behaviour

31
Q

What is an overt design observation? Give a strength and a weakness

A

-where those being observed are aware of the fact

Strength: this is the most ethical form of observation as doesn’t require any deception and ppts can give fully informed consent

Weakness: most at risk of demand characteristics

32
Q

What is an covert design observation? Give a strength and a weakness

A

-when researcher pretends to be an ordinary member of the group and observes in secret undercover

Strength: no risk of demand characteristics as other ppts are unaware they’re being observed

Weakness: unethical as deception may be used or no fully informed consent

33
Q

What is a participant design observation? Give a strength and a weakness

A

-where the observer has direct contact with the participants they’re observing, meaning they are apart of the sample

Strength: higher validity as able to gain more of an understanding of behaviours by clarifying questions

Weakness: low validity as may manipulate/ influence participants leading to experimenter bias

34
Q

What is an non participant design observation? Give a strength and a weakness

A

-where the researcher does not have direct control with the people being observed and so watches the ppts from afar

Strength: no chance of experimenter bias as they can not manipulate the ppts behaviour at all

Weakness: don’t get as deep an understanding of the behaviour of ppts so lower validity

35
Q

What is Inter-rate reliability?

A

When there are 2 or more observers. If they obtain similar results (80%) this indicates good reliability

Psychology- Learning (8 decks)

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