Research on non-human animals has played a massive part in the development of psychology. Maybe key concepts that help us understand human behaviour originated from research with non-human animals. Do the benefits outweigh the price? Despite there being more laws and regulation in the use of animals today for research, there is a lot left open to interpretation and this begs the questions as to whether particular research should be done. This is where the Bateson Cube come into play. Bateson's cube is a model of the cost–benefit analysis for animal research developed by Professor Patrick Bateson, president of the Zoological Society of London. Bateson's cube evaluates proposed research through three criteria:

the degree of animal suffering,

the quality of the research,

the potential medical benefit.

Bateson suggested that research that does not meet these requirements should not be approved or performed, in accordance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.