Ethical Stands of Undergraduates are influenced by their field of study

Abstract

The attitude of an individual about ethical issues is governed by a range of factors. Objective of this study was to understand how attitude of undergraduates toward the use of animal for research and other purposes is affected by their field of studies. Views of 238 undergraduates following medicine (M), agriculture (A), veterinary (V), management (MG), engineering (E) and art (AR) were collected using a structured type questionnaire. Majoring of V (100%), A (86%), M (95%) and AR (74%) respondents held utilitarian views on the use of animal for human activities. Nobody believed that human has full liberty to use animal for research. The most accepted use of animals by M, MG, A, AR and E was as pets while that of V undergraduates was for research. Killing of unproductive cattle was opposed by all undergraduates. Meanwhile killing of weaker farm animals was accepted only by V undergraduates. Many MG (85%) and AR (74%) students opposed any animal experiments that would disable the animal whereas V (100%), A (54%), M (59%) and E (45%) said that their decision depends on the outcome of the experiment. Majority of MG (81%) and AR (97%), undergraduates believed that a disable animal at the end of an experiment shouldn’t be killed. In contrast V (97%), A (60%), M (85%) and E (36%) undergraduates recommended the animal be killed. It was concluded that undergraduate’s attitude about the use of animal for research and other purposes vary with the field of study they follow.