Conclusion

• 1

  • To conclude using non-human animals in psychological research can be useful as they provide health benefits to humans by reducing stress levels and the risk of cardiovascular issues
• 2

  • They also allow for humans to form relationships with others providing a stronger social bond within society
  • They can also be seen as useful by giving psychologists a deeper understanding of human emotional development and why humans may behave how they do
  • For example, Speciesism shows how their presence is useful by allowing many individuals with illnesses such as depression to experience ‘normal’ lives without their symptoms
• 3

  • However, there is also evidence that using non-human animals in psychological research is problematic due to the ethical issues that may be caused to the animals and the lack of evidence of whether they truly work as a therapeutic device.
  • The moral dilemma showed when discussing whether non-human animals should be treated with the same rights as humans also shows how this type of research can be problematic
• 3(2)

  • Although steps have been taken by the BPS to minimise the risk to animals and to ensure that the research is only completed if benefits to society are to be made, the use of non-human animals still proves to be problematic despite how useful it have been shown to be.