Animal research / animal models
IB Psychology· Biological approach· 14 min read
1. Core concept
Animals are used to study human behaviour because we share physiology (neurons, hormones, basic learning) with other species, and because animals allow tight control, invasive methods and short generations that would be impossible or unethical in humans. The value of any animal study depends on how far the model generalises to people. Its use is bounded by ethical considerations — the 3 Rs (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement), a cost–benefit judgement, and animal-welfare rules.
2. Key studies
IB Psychology answers must be supported by named studies. Learn these to cite as evidence:
Harlow (1958)
Infant rhesus monkeys preferred a soft cloth 'mother' over a wire one that fed them, and used it as a secure base for exploration. — An animal model of attachment giving evidence (contact comfort > food) that could not ethically be obtained from human infants.
Weaver et al. (2004)
Rat pups with low-nurturing mothers showed increased methylation of the glucocorticoid-receptor gene and greater stress vulnerability as adults. — An animal model exposes a mechanism (later echoed in human data, McGowan et al. 2009) using brain tissue you cannot take from humans.
3. Evaluation (AO3)
Strength — access & control — Deprivation, lesioning and gene/brain measurement are possible in animals but not humans, so animal models reach mechanisms human studies cannot.
Limitation — generalisation vs ethics trade-off — Human behaviour has cultural and cognitive layers a monkey or rat lacks; and the very isolation studies that yield the cleanest data (Harlow) raise the sharpest welfare objections.
4. Scope
5. Common Pitfalls
Wrong move:
Judging an animal study by human ethical rules — e.g. saying it broke 'informed consent'.
Why:
A frequently penalised misconception in IB Psychology exams.
Correct move:
Animal research is governed by animal-welfare frameworks (the 3 Rs, cost–benefit, licensing), not human-participant rules like informed consent. Evaluate it against the right standard.
Going deeper
- Genetic inheritanceWeaver is an epigenetic/inheritance mechanism — genetic inheritance is BIO_6.