ANIMAL RESEARCH

Animal Research

Animal Research

Educational psychologists often study the behavior of animals as a way of understanding principles that govern human behavior. Because animals cannot consent to becoming subjects and the research may not benefit them directly, special care must be taken to ensure their best treatment. Just as in the case of protecting human subjects, Congress has developed regulations that address the responsible use of animals in research. Two specific acts, the Animal Welfare Act (1966, 1970, 1976, 1985, and 1990) and the Health Research Extension Act (1985), have provided guidance on responsible conduct. The Animal Welfare Act concerns itself with the transportation, care, and use of animals in research. The responsibility for the regulations falls upon the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) under Title 9 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Guidelines were created from work in the 1950s by the Animal Care Panel, who established a professional standard for animal care in research. This work eventually led to The Guide for Laboratory Animal Facilities and Care, first published in 1963 and now titled The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. The Public Health Services (PHS) requires that investigators use this guidebook when establishing and conducting an institutional program of animal research. Just as human subject research requires an approval board, animal research has a similar counterpart, the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). The PHS defines animals as any live, vertebrate animals used or intended for use in research, research training, experimentation, or biological testing or for related purposes. However, educational psychologists intending to use animals for research should take the broadest view possible of the definition of an animal and should consult with their own institution's IACUC regarding their research.

Collaborative research has many rewards but poses interesting challenges. Before research begins, collaborators must have the same understanding of the requirements, and thus, a uniform level of training and supervision must be in place. This may include an understanding of welfare of human subjects, animal subjects, and use of hazardous materials.

When researchers are working together with others, either on a publication or a grant, the roles and responsibilities of each researcher must be clearly delineated. Collaborative activities require the clarification of the following issues: Who will submit the funding proposal? Who will submit the proposal protocol for evaluation to a subject review board? Who will store the collected data? Who will have the authority to make changes in the project? Who will write the first draft of an article, and who will report the results of the article? How will intellectual property rights be distributed? These issues can be resolved only if effective communication is established among the collaborators.

If the collaborative research entails external funding, financial management can also become an issue. The Office of Management and Budget produces two documents, Circular A-21 and A-110, which provide guidance regarding the financial management. All members of the collaborative team need to be familiar with these documents so that they are aware of allowable expenditures, equipment use, ...