Assignment 2: Discussion—Animal Testing

Animals have long been used to study learning and behavior. However, over the past couple of decades, the use of animals in research has become quite controversial leading to a debate on whether we should continue to conduct research with animals as test subjects or simply stop research into the different areas where there is no viable alternative.

As part of your research for this discussion, conduct an Internet search to see what you can discover about animals in research. Use the following phrase for your Internet search:

• “Ethical guidelines for using animals in research”

By placing quotation marks around the phrase you are searching for, your search engine will be more effective in locating relevant results.

Based on your readings in Module 1, address the following questions:

• Identify a few of the advantages and disadvantages in employing animals in this area of research.
• Highlight the ethical issues that have been a cause for concern when dealing with the use of animals for research purposes.
• Describe what a behavioral psychologist must do in order to ensure proper ethical and physical care of their research animals.
• Suggest a few alternatives to using animals in research.

Write your initial response in 3–4 paragraphs. Apply APA standards to citation of sources.

By Saturday, March 28, 2015, post your response to the appropriate Discussion Area. Through Wednesday, April 1, 2015, review and comment on at least two peers’ responses.

Grading Criteria and Rubric

All discussion assignments in this course will be graded using a rubric. Download the discussion rubric and carefully read it to understand the expectations.