Guidelines for Ethical Conduct in the Care and Use of Nonhuman Animals in Research

As a field of study, psychology examines a broad range of research and applied areas. Important parts of such work are teaching and research on the behaviour of nonhuman animals, which contribute to the understanding of basic principles underlying behaviour and to advancing the welfare of both human and nonhuman animals. While psychologists must conduct their teaching and research in a manner consonant with relevant laws and regulations, ethical concerns further mandate that psychologists consider the costs and benefits of procedures involving animals before proceeding with these activities.

These guidelines were developed by the American Psychological Association (APA) for use by psychologists working with nonhuman animals. They are informed by Section 8.09 of the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (APA, 2010). Contents include: justification of the research; personnel; care and housing of laboratory animals; acquisition of laboratory animals; experimental procedures; field research; educational use of nonhuman animals; literature references. The guidelines may be downloaded here.