Psychology 359AW - Seminar: Biological Bases of Behavior: 'Animal Welfare in the Psychological Sciences'

Animal welfare (i.e., the psychological and physical well-being of an animal) may impact the quality of research on animals but is rarely discussed. In this class we will learn how to assess animal welfare in the common species/settings used in psychology research (e.g., pigeons, rodents, monkeys housed in research facilities, zoos, and sanctuaries). We will look at both current work and historical studies to evaluate: the welfare of the animals used, the laws and ethics protocols of the time, the impact of these studies on current research, and how the studies could be done better with our current knowledge. Students should be mentally prepared to take a critical look at animal research practices.

Prereq: PSYCH-204.