Question

The APA ethics code expresses ethical standards for external factors including resolving ethical issues, human relations, advertising and public statements, research and publication, and therapy. Why do you believe the APA established these standards? What is an ethical dilemma that could arise under one of these standards? Would the dilemma still exist if there was no established standard? Support your position.

Answer 1

The APA ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct consists of an introduction, a preamble, 5 general principles and specific ethical standards. The introduction discusses the intent, organization, procedural consideration and scope of application of ethics code. The preamble and general principles are aspirational goals to guide psychologists towards the highest ideals of psychology.

(a) The ethics code is intended to provide guidance for psychologists and standards of professional conduct that can be applied by the APA and by other bodies. The modifiers used in some of the standards of the ethics codd allow professional judgment on the part of the psychologists,eliminate injustice or inequality that would occur,guard against a set of rule that might be quickly outdated etc. It is intended to provide specific standard to cover specific situations encountered by psychologists. The development of ethical code encourages ethical behavior by students, supervisees, employees and colleagues.

(b) The ethical dilemmas that arise from these standards are as follows :-

• misuse of psychologist's work
• Conflicts between ethics and organizational demands
• Informal resolutions of ethical violations
• Reporting ethical violations
• Cooperating with ethics committee
• Undue influence
• Unfair discrimination against complaints and respondents.

(c) The dilemmas would still exist if there was no established standard and there will be no way to resolve these dilemmas. When these dilemmas are not resolved, the psychologists may engage in non-thical practices. When these standards are present, psychologists would resolve the dilemmas or conflicts bt examining the nature of conflict. The absrnce of these standards may lead to misuse, ethical violations, non-cooperation, indiscrimination stc.