The Use of Animals in Psychological Research Essay

The Use of Animals in Psychological Research - Essay Example This research has assisted in the understanding of psychopathological conditions which include schizophrenia and depressive disorders as well as the assessment of the untoward effects of medications used in the treatment of psychological conditions. With the progression of the human understanding, ethics have come into existence and the use of animals in research has been questioned from the ethical point of view. To overcome these problems the American Psychological Association has developed ethical guidelines for the use of animals in this type of research. The main points include the respect for the law of the relevant country and area with regards to experimentation as are applied to the experiments conducted on human beings. The animals that are being used in the process should be under the watch of special overseers who possess knowledge with regards to the proper requirements of the animals. TThis personnel should also guide the researchers regarding these requirements so that the animals are properly taken care of during the experiments. The other important guideline presents the fact that the animals should not be harmed and given unnecessary pain. To learn and progress in any scientific field, research and experimentation is an important part of the process. Hence I believe that animal research is fully justified where it serves this purpose. I believe that to understand completely the functioning of the human brain and the psychological working of the human being, research is essential and using of animals for the right purpose is totally justified. If research serves to enhance the quality of life and works towards the formation procedures which can treat psychological conditions, it should be allowed.