How much, if any, animal testing/experiments should I expect to encounter while getting Psychology degree?

Question

I intend to get my MA and possibly PhD in Clinical Child Psychology. Right now I'm still an undergrad. My psych professors talk about rat labs, their experiences with them in grad school, etc. daily. All things involving animal testing, experimenting, unnatural observation, etc. are COMPLETELY against my belief system. I will not do it, no matter what. There are alternatives to most, if not all, animal use requirements in higher education. What I need to know is how much I should expect to encounter throughout my college education in psychology. If it will involve a lot I may not be able to side step it and I'll need to change my major.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Answer 1

At the present time, there is little necessity to engage in physiological experimentation on animals in order to get an undergraduate BA or BS in psychology. Some colleges require a Biopsychology or Physiological Psychology laboratory class but most cannot afford a laboratory. In that class you might learn to give injections, and surgically implant electrodes, and dissect the brain -- but you don't do that in "rat lab." To replace "physio," one can usually take lab courses in human cognition, or social, or developmental, or animal learning. However, because behaviorism is slightly antiquated as a psychological theory, many departments no longer have the facilities to offer an animal learning lab course, which is what is referred to as "the rat lab." The correct name for the field of psychology studied in "rat lab" is behaviorism.

Just for your information, there is probably little reason for you to object to studying classical and operant behavior in an animal-based laboratory. It is like animal training and can be done without harming any animals. One can train animals to "bar press" on cue, and do what would be considered tricks by many people, without any injury. Yes, the animals are kept in clean cages, and fed and watered only once a day, but they are treated humanely. Most professors encourage students to come in and handle their rats every day because "handled" rats are happier and smarter than isolated rats.

What you learn about in rat lab is the difference between reinforcements and punishments (and the professors who I know only have you use reinforcement in the lab exercises.) You learn about the different schedules of reinforcement and about shapping and chaining behaviors. When I took the class, I taught my two rats (named Gretchen and Jessica) to push ping-pong balls and retrieve pencils. After the class ended, I took them both home as pets and they lived happy lives in my dorm room for their three-year lifespan. I took them to classes and they sat on my desk while I took notes because they were well trained and well behaved. Lab rats are quite cute and cuddly and very friendly if you treat them well -- I am sure that you would.