Ms Safa Qasim

Lecturer (Department of Psychology),

MMI
BS Psychology, 3rd Semester
Subject: Ethics in Psychology
LECTURE 1

General Definition of Ethics

Ethics, also called moral philosophy, the discipline concerned with what is morally good and

bad and morally right and wrong. The term is also applied to any system or theory

of moral values or principles. It consists of the fundamental issues of practical decision making,

and its major concerns include the nature of ultimate value and the standards by which human

actions can be judged right or wrong.

Ethics are an important concern in the field of psychology, particularly as it relates to therapy

and research. Working with patients and conducting psychological research can pose a wide

variety of ethical and moral issues that need to be addressed.

The APA’s Code of Ethics

The American Psychological Association (APA) publishes the Ethical Principles of

Psychologists and Code of Conduct which outlines aspirational principles as well as enforceable

standards that psychologists should use when making decisions. The APA first published their

ethics code in 1953 and has been continuously evolving the code ever since.

The current version of the ethics code, which introduced the distinction between principles
and standards, was developed in 2002 and later amended in 2010 and 2016.
The APA code of ethics is composed of key principles and ethical standards. The principles are

intended as a guide to help inspire psychologists as they work in their profession, whether they

are working in mental health, in research, or in business. The standards, on the other hand, are

expectations of conduct that can lead to professional and legal ramifications when violated.

As Nicholas Hobbs, who served as an APA president and head of one of the committees that

designed the standards explained, the purpose of the code is not to keep unscrupulous people out

of trouble. It serves as an aid to help ethical psychologists make real-world decisions in their

daily practice.

The code of ethics applies only to work-related, professional activities including research,
teaching, counseling, psychotherapy, and consulting. Private conduct is not subject to
scrutiny by the APA's ethics committee.

The APA ethics code provides guidance for professionals working in the field of psychology so

that they're better equipped with the knowledge of what to do when they encounter some type of

moral or ethical dilemma. Some of these are principles or values that psychologists should aspire

to uphold. In other cases, the APA outlines standards that are enforceable expectations.

The Five Ethical Principles

General Principles, as opposed to Ethical Standards, are aspirational in nature. Their intent is to

guide and inspire psychologists toward the very highest ethical ideals of the profession. General

Principles, in contrast to Ethical Standards, do not represent obligations and should not form the
basis for imposing sanctions. Relying upon General Principles for either of these reasons distorts

both their meaning and purpose. Some of those general principles are as following:

Principle A: Beneficence and Non- maleficence

The first principle of the APA ethics code states that psychologists should strive to protect the

rights and welfare of those with whom they work professionally. This includes the clients they

see in clinical practice, animals that are involved in research and experiments, and anyone else

with whom they engage in professional interaction.

Psychologists strive to benefit those with whom they work and take care to do no harm. In their

professional actions, psychologists seek to safeguard the welfare and rights of those with whom

they interact professionally and other affected persons, and the welfare of animal subjects of

research. When conflicts occur among psychologists' obligations or concerns, they attempt to

resolve these conflicts in a responsible fashion that avoids or minimizes harm. Because

psychologists' scientific and professional judgments and actions may affect the lives of others,

they are alert to and guard against personal, financial, social, organizational, or political factors

that might lead to misuse of their influence. Psychologists strive to be aware of the possible

effect of their own physical and mental health on their ability to help those with whom they

work. This principle encourages psychologists to strive to eliminate biases, affiliations, and

prejudices that might influence their work. This includes acting independently in research and

not allowing affiliations or sponsorships to influence results.

Principle B: Fidelity and Responsibility

Psychologists establish relationships of trust with those with whom they work. They are aware of

their professional and scientific responsibilities to society and to the specific communities in
which they work. Psychologists uphold professional standards of conduct, clarify their

professional roles and obligations, accept appropriate responsibility for their behavior, and seek

to manage conflicts of interest that could lead to exploitation or harm. Psychologists consult

with, refer to, or cooperate with other professionals and institutions to the extent needed to serve

the best interests of those with whom they work. They are concerned about the ethical

compliance of their colleagues' scientific and professional conduct. Psychologists strive to

contribute a portion of their professional time for little or no compensation or personal

advantage.

The APA also suggests that psychologists have a moral responsibility to help ensure that others

working in their profession also uphold high ethical standards. This principle suggests that

psychologists should participate in activities that enhance the ethical compliance and conduct of

their colleagues. Serving as a mentor, taking part in peer-review, and pointing out ethical

concerns or misconduct are examples of how this principle might be put into action.

Principle C: Integrity

Psychologists seek to promote accuracy, honesty, and truthfulness in the science, teaching, and

practice of psychology. In these activities psychologists do not steal, cheat or engage in fraud,

subterfuge, or intentional misrepresentation of fact. Psychologists strive to keep their promises

and to avoid unwise or unclear commitments. In situations in which deception may be ethically

justifiable to maximize benefits and minimize harm, psychologists have a serious obligation to

consider the need for, the possible consequences of, and their responsibility to correct any

resulting mistrust or other harmful effects that arise from the use of such techniques.
In research and practice, psychologists should never attempt to deceive or misrepresent. In

research, deception can involve fabricating or manipulating results in some way to achieve

desired outcomes. Psychologists should also strive for transparency and honesty in their practice.

When deception is used in research (which may involve the use of confederates or not fully

revealing the true nature of the research), psychologists must make efforts to mitigate the effects.

This type of research deception must be justified and the possible gains must outweigh potential

drawbacks. The use of deception should be minimal, not result in distress, and be disclosed at the

earliest possible opportunity.

Principle D: Justice

Psychologists recognize that fairness and justice entitle all persons to access to and benefit from

the contributions of psychology and to equal quality in the processes, procedures, and services

being conducted by psychologists. Psychologists exercise reasonable judgment and take

precautions to ensure that their potential biases, the boundaries of their competence, and the

limitations of their expertise do not lead to or condone unjust practices.

In its broadest sense, justice relates to a responsibility to be fair and impartial. This principle

states that people have a right to access and benefit from advances that have been made in the

field of psychology. It is important for psychologists to treat people equally.

Principle E: Respect for People's Rights and Dignity

Psychologists respect the dignity and worth of all people, and the rights of individuals to privacy,

confidentiality, and self-determination. Psychologists are aware that special safeguards may be

necessary to protect the rights and welfare of persons or communities whose vulnerabilities

impair autonomous decision making. Psychologists are aware of and respect cultural, individual,
and role differences, including those based on age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity,

culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, and socioeconomic

status, and consider these factors when working with members of such groups. Psychologists try

to eliminate the effect on their work of biases based on those factors, and they do not knowingly

participate in or condone activities of others based upon such prejudices.

Psychologists should respect the right to dignity, privacy, and confidentiality of those they work

with professionally. They should also strive to minimize their own biases as well as be aware of

issues related to diversity and the concerns of particular populations. For example, people may

have specific concerns related to their age, socioeconomic status, race, gender, religion,

ethnicity, or disability.