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Evaluate the Use of Animal Models in the Study of Hormones and Behaviour
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Samantha CruzEvaluate the use of animal models in the study of hormones and behaviour COMPLETE
Animal models play an important role to understanding human behaviour as they allow for further research and
procedures which cannot be done on humans. Specifically, when it comes to researching hormones, both
animals and humans use the same-intercell communication, thus highlighting how animals are beneficial when
studying hormones and behaviour. However, there are also various limitations animal research brings about.
The main issue with this type of research is generalizability due do diverse genetic codes and diverse
environmental inputs in comparison to humans, which are important aspects to consider when trying to apply
results using animals towards humans. Overall, in the study of hormones and behaviour, animals models
allow for a basic and primary understanding, which can be further comprehended using human models.
Cortisol is a hormone which is secreted during times of stress, producing either a “flight” or “fight” response. A
researcher who used animals to study cortisol in baboons was Sapolsky. The aim was to investigate how
stress, specifically the lack of control, can affect baboon physiology. Sapolsky studied baboons from a bush in
East Africa in Kenya by observing their behaviours within troops. To obtain a blood sample, the baboons were
tranquilized so that there was no stress or harm towards the animals. From this, Sapolsky found that baboons
that were lower in the social hierarchy had different behaviours than those who were higher in the troops, as a
result of stress. For example, bullied baboons would be more likely to get diseases and have a shorter
lifespan. This was explained when the blood of subordinate males showed that they had high cortisol levels.
Sapolsky concluded that high cortisol was a direct result of a baboon’s social standing in a troop. This study
highlights the importance of animal models to understanding how hormones, specifically cortisol, can impact
our behaviour.
This study has important implications to real world. Sapolsky’s study has established a basic understanding to
how we view and treat stress. It it now know that cortisol has a regulatory role in our bodies. This is important
to the medical community of producing new stress-prevention treatments, giving a new orientation of stress
and well-being. However, these results cannot be directly applied to humans as we do not experience the
same environmental input as baboon troops, our cognitive processes are different, and our biological makeup
is different. Further research must be done to expand knowledge on cortisol and stress in humans.
Carney et al. wanted to investigate cortisol levels corresponding to stress levels in humans. The aim was to
investigate if physiological occured due to school bullying. Through a natural experiment, 91 students were
chosen by opportunity sampling and were victims of, or exposed to various frequencies of school bullying
throughout the year. The researchers assessed their anxiety levels using an anxiety diagnostic. Saliva
samples were also collected when they first arrived to school (control) and before their lunch break (when the
most bullying occurs). A statistically significant relationship between decreased cortisol before lunch and high
rates of bullying victimisation and exposure. Not only does this highlight a cognitive impact, but also a
physiological impact of bullying.
The value of animal models is illustrated as researchers would not have designed such an experiment if it were
not for the earlier foundational work conducted by Sapolsky and other animal researcher on the physiological
stress response. Sapolsky’s study provides a theoretical basis upon which Carney et al. could construct their
hypothesis. The studies discussed above all look at the physiological changes of stress due to cortisol levels.
When looking at the environmental factors of stress, it is clear that a common factor in the studies is a lack of
control. The baboons and students suffer from an inability to control their environment as their lives are under
the control of others: higher ranked baboons and bullies.
HighlightNote
Then again, there are overall strengths and limitations when using animal models in any psychological
research that need to be considered. Animal models allow for further investigation into hormones as they allow
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