Human Bear bonding in research on black bear behavior
Publication Type: |
Journal Article |
Year of Publication: |
1992 |
Authors: |
G.M Burghardt |
Publication/Journal: |
Cambridge University Press |
Abstract:
Although animals are widely employed as research subjects, only recently have we acknowledged the bond that frequently, perhaps inevitably, develops between subject and researcher. Whatever the qualities of this relationship, an increasing body of evidence suggests that it may result in profound behavioral and physiological changes in the animal subject. Such effects are apparent in behavioral studies conducted in both laboratory and field settings. They also appear in physiological studies ranging from biomedical (e.g., heart rate, blood pressure, and immunological changes) to animal sciences (e.g., growth and production). Such effects are not confined to obvious cases involving primates or dogs, but are found with unexpected animals such as chickens, reptiles, and even octopuses.
Despite the fact that most researchers are trained to minimize or avoid interactions with animal subjects, they continue to occur. This book is the first of its kind to address the issue systematically, describing many examples of this “inevitable bond” between scientist and animal. The discussion will allow researchers to anticipate these potentially confounding effects and take advantage of them in designing more effective and humane test environments for animal subjects