Academic year:
2019-2020
Experimental Psychology
Submitted by: Kimberly Altamia
Submitted to: Prof. Bauyon
Academic year: 2019-2020
Title: Monkey Drug Trials Experiment
Conducted by Deneau, Yanagita & Seevers
Dr. Yanagita
Purpose: The purpose of the experiment was to look
at the effects of self-administration on drugs, drug
abuse, and drug dependence in humans, by testing it
on monkeys. They wanted to observe whether a monkey would become addicted to drugs or
not, and to understand better the effects of drugs. The researchers founded the reason why
drug abuse takes place and how a psychological treatment can help
people give up the drug addiction.
Maurice Seevers
Discussion: The experiment was very controversial because it was very unethical and the
monkeys suffered a lot of pain, and in some cases died of overdose. The Helsinki declaration was
founded in 1964 and since here they have been updating principles of good practice in these
kinds of experiments. They say, “Welfare of animals used for research must be respected”. Since
here the ethical views for non-humans subjects started. Later on the APA gave instructions to
determine whether an experiment on animals is acceptable or not. For example animal research
should not harm the animal or distress it on any way. If the researchers don’t follow this code,
they won’t be allowed to keep on with
the experiment. In the case of this
experiment was already done, but that’s
why still now a days is very controversial
and shocking, and is listed in one of the
10 most unethical psychological
experiments.
In my on insight In the Monkey
Drug Trials conducted in 1969, was an
animal experiment involving the
addiction of drugs, and how man
(monkey) respond to drugs when given
to them freely. The monkeys were
taught how to use (abuse) the drugs,
and after the monkeys knew how to do
it themselves were left with a supply of each drug. The monkeys then suffered side effects of
drug addiction. The drugs given to them were morphine, alcohol, codeine, cocaine, and
amphetamines. This drugs are not to be taken lightly and the fact that these monkeys were
taking them forcefully and suffering through possible drug overdose, or hallucinogenic episodes
called "bad trips" which mess up the human psyche. Considering the monkey is closely related, I
would guess that bad trips would also cause damage to the monkey psyche. If it hadn't the
monkeys wouldn't have suffered convulsions from cocaine, or suffered from breaking their arm
caused by trying to escape, some tore off fingers (possibly from the hallucinogenic "bad trip"),
some ripping their own coats off, and some suffering death.
The experiment was conducted for the sole purpose of watching the effects of drug use
and addiction take place. Which is not only unethical, but the experiment could have been
conducted on current addicts. I'm sure if the experiment was paid for, the addicts would have
no problem becoming a subject. If they're real addicts they would do anything for some money
for more drugs, including a study of the addiction of drugs. I think this experiment is unethical
because he monkeys had no say in taking the drugs which are harmful physically, emotionally,
and mentally, They also elaborate that even though such animal sacrifice in such experiments
may help the entire human kind and even the entire animal kind, the rights of each individual
animal who are subjected to the testing and research will not be protected in the process the
reason of simply "just watching the effects of drugs" is not a good enough reason to put
monkeys through torture and in harm way the results of the study all had to have ended with
death, because one cannot help a recovering addict monkey, They cannot take AA or
therapy. Lastly, knowing they all must have died means they were only alive for one reason,
the experiment, which is completely unethical. They are living beings. It is also important to
focus on the fact that animals do not have the capability of administering drugs in the outside
world, unless human interference trains them to self-administer. Although the results show a
similarity in monkey and human behavior in the self-maintaining of drugs, there is no real
benefit to this finding and therefore the end does not justify the means.
