Code of Ethics Australia
Code of Ethics Psychology
Preamble
A Code of Ethics, no matter what the foundation and no matter what the principles or ideologies, are in essence a judgement of choice of some act, situation, or characters as being more desirable than another. A code of ethics in psychology should have as its primary concern
1. A respect for the rights and dignity of others
2. Propriety of behaviour
3. Integrity in practice
Ethics should not be tied to morality or religious beliefs. When making ethical judgements we should refer to pre-existing values and principle such as human rights, freedoms and socio-cultural values. There are what W.D. Ross called prima facie ‘general principles of right conduct’1. Each judgement is then affected by context and should be examined as such. Ethics should be questioned and constantly re-evaluated, they should be consistent and should be tested. We should not accept that ethics should remain the same as universal truths without re-examination. They should be based on reason and enquiry and be subject to discussion and analysis.
Ethics are more than merely one person’s opinion. Gender, race, cultural bias and objective standards all impact our world view. Our personal ethical viewpoint is subjective to our own personal preferences. As a result of this can we say that one person’s normative viewpoint is any more ‘correct’ than another? Never-the-less because we are part of a community and a profession we cannot opt out of desiring an acceptable general ethical view that supports the human condition and provides the optimum conditions for professional practise. Ethical judgements should be made in consultation and with consideration of context.
Because psychologists share a common goal or purpose – this common shared goal can provide a framework for professional behaviour should be developed by the profession as a whole or elected officials. The establishment of profession basic guidelines for deciding which behaviour is ‘Good’
Preamble
A Code of Ethics, no matter what the foundation and no matter what the principles or ideologies, are in essence a judgement of choice of some act, situation, or characters as being more desirable than another. A code of ethics in psychology should have as its primary concern
1. A respect for the rights and dignity of others
2. Propriety of behaviour
3. Integrity in practice
Ethics should not be tied to morality or religious beliefs. When making ethical judgements we should refer to pre-existing values and principle such as human rights, freedoms and socio-cultural values. There are what W.D. Ross called prima facie ‘general principles of right conduct’1. Each judgement is then affected by context and should be examined as such. Ethics should be questioned and constantly re-evaluated, they should be consistent and should be tested. We should not accept that ethics should remain the same as universal truths without re-examination. They should be based on reason and enquiry and be subject to discussion and analysis.
Ethics are more than merely one person’s opinion. Gender, race, cultural bias and objective standards all impact our world view. Our personal ethical viewpoint is subjective to our own personal preferences. As a result of this can we say that one person’s normative viewpoint is any more ‘correct’ than another? Never-the-less because we are part of a community and a profession we cannot opt out of desiring an acceptable general ethical view that supports the human condition and provides the optimum conditions for professional practise. Ethical judgements should be made in consultation and with consideration of context.
Because psychologists share a common goal or purpose – this common shared goal can provide a framework for professional behaviour should be developed by the profession as a whole or elected officials. The establishment of profession basic guidelines for deciding which behaviour is ‘Good’
References: 1. Timmons, M. (1999). Morality Without Foundations: A Defense of Ethical Contextualism. Oxford University Press.