Research for Academic Learning
HRC’s Free Research Primer Series
Submitted by Carol Glasser on Aug 24, 2010 Animal Experimentation | Companion Animals | Diet and Nutrition | Entertainment Animals | Farmed Animals | General Animal Protection | Vegetarianism and Veganism | Wildlife and ExoticsWhen fellow animal advocates ask me questions about research on animal protection issues, I typically ask them if they have looked at our research primers. In response, I usually hear "Research what? Where?" I am guessing that many advocates, even those of you who follow our work, are not aware of the full wealth of free data we have available. Here I want to highlight HRC's research primers, since they are a free resource that can help all advocates better understand the issues on which they are working. So let me tell you a little about them.
Relevance of Brain and Behavioural Lateralization to Animal Welfare
Submitted on Aug 01, 2010 (Original item from 2010) Animal Experimentation
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Research on a range of animal species shows that the left hemisphere of the brain controls patterns of behavior in non-stressful situations, while the right hemisphere of the brain responds to unexpected stimuli and other emergency situations. The authors suggest that developing animals with left-hemisphere dominance may enhance animal welfare.
Dissection as an Instructional Technique in Secondary Science: Choice and Alternatives
Submitted on Jul 06, 2010 (Original item from 2006) Animal Experimentation
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Based on a study of retrospective data concerning high school dissection, this study examined the role of dissection in the teaching of secondary biology and environmental science and found that such experience often leads to long-lasting negative feelings about dissection.
Animal Research and Demonstrating Animal Sentience
Submitted by Che Green on Jun 22, 2010 Advocacy Strategies | Animal Experimentation | General Animal ProtectionHow should animal advocates react to animal-based scientific experiments if we think the findings can help animals? Should we speak out against the studies and refuse to cite them or should we make use of them with the intent and hope that the animals will not have suffered in vain? It’s a particularly relevant question for HRC because we cover such a breadth of research studies in our HumaneSpot.org database, which includes well over a hundred public opinion and behavior studies that relate to animal testing.
Preschool Children Require Fewer Instructional Prompts to Perform a Memory Task in the Presence of a Dog
Submitted on May 24, 2010 (Original item from 2010) Companion Animals
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An experiment conducted on the memory performance and adherence to instructions of a group of preschoolers in the presence of a real dog, a stuffed dog, and a human confederate found that the presence of a well-trained dog reduces the need for instructional prompts with respect to object recognition.
HumaneSpot.org: A Little Something for Every Animal Advocate
Submitted by admin on May 10, 2010 Advocacy Strategies | Animal Experimentation | Companion Animals | Diet and Nutrition | Entertainment Animals | Farmed Animals | General Animal Protection | Research Tools and Methods | Vegetarianism and Veganism | Wildlife and ExoticsWritten by Diane Venberg, one of HRC's 2010 interns, this wonderful overview of HumaneSpot.org shows the breadth of our research database and highlights a number of important studies. Be sure to give this blog a read if you've been wanting a taste of what HumaneSpot.org has to offer before applying for access. And if you have any research that you think should be included in our database, be sure to let us know.
Insight for Advocates: See the Latest Animal Tracker Results
Submitted by Che Green on Apr 28, 2010 Advocacy Strategies | Animal Experimentation | Companion Animals | Diet and Nutrition | Entertainment Animals | Farmed Animals | General Animal Protection | Research Tools and Methods | Vegetarianism and Veganism | Wildlife and ExoticsAs those of us at HRC mention regularly, the purpose of conducting research is often to overcome (or validate) our own assumptions and biased viewpoints. It can be difficult for advocates who feel strongly about animal protection to understand the attitudes and behavior of those who are less moved by the suffering of animals. To really know what non-advocates think - and why - it is essential to ask them directly and then filter their responses through rigorous analysis. You may be surprised by the answers and how different they can be from the beliefs of animal advocates.
The Effect of Nature Documentaries on Students' Environmental Sensitivity
Submitted on Dec 10, 2009 (Original item from 2009) General Animal Protection
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This study addressed the affect of viewing nature documentaries on the environmental sensitivity of students. Specifically, students were observed to determine if exposure to a documentary on insects would increase their level of environmental sensitivity toward these animals, compared with students who had not seen the documentary.
Should the AWA Cover Rats, Mice, and Birds? The Results of an IACUC Survey
Submitted on Oct 19, 2009 (Original item from 1999) Animal Experimentation
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A survey of Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) members shows that the majority of animal researchers favor including rats, mice, and birds under the Animal Welfare Act. Not currently covered, these types of animals represent the most commonly used species for animal research.
Dying to Learn: Exposing the Supply and Use of Dogs and Cats in Higher Education
Submitted on Oct 09, 2009 Animal Experimentation | Companion Animals
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This report presents information about the extent to which dogs and cats are used in higher education and the purposes for which they are used, focusing in particular on how these animals are obtained (e.g., through dealers, including biological supply companies, and pounds). Estimates of dog and cat usage in higher education were compiled from all public colleges and universities located in a sample of 24 states.
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