Student Responses to Active Learning Activities With Live and Virtual Rats in Psychology Teaching Laboratories

Abstract

Taking an ethical approach to using nonhuman animals in teaching requires assessment of the learning benefits of using animals and how these compare to the benefits of alternative teaching practices. It is also important to consider whether students have ethical reservations about completing exercises with animals. We compared upper level undergraduate students’ evaluations of psychology laboratories using live rats with their evaluations of using a virtual rat (Sniffy). Students reported that the live-rat labs were ethically acceptable and that working with live rats enhanced their learning to a greater extent than working with Sniffy. These results support the retention of laboratories using live rats in psychology courses.