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.