Application of the CPA code of ethics: Towards integrating the science and practice of psychology.

Comments on S. Harvey's (see record 1994-43015-001) article on using the Canadian Psychological Association's Code of Ethics for psychologists in an organizational case. Harvey demonstrates that the Code of Ethics can be used as a metatheoretical framework that may lead to an integrated value system. The code must become part of the shared background of scientific activity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Teaching ethics: The utility of the CPA code.

Teaching professional ethics can take 2 very different forms, reflecting different fundamental assumptions about ethical rules, and leading to different problem-solving strategies in professional life. In this article, the author outlines and contrasts the 2 approaches, which he calls the overriding principle approach and the moral dilemma approach. The first reifies ethical principles and underpins them with rationales drawn from moral philosophy. The second sees principles as templates of default options, which may or may not fit the facts of the case and the context in which a decision must be made. In the moral dilemma approach, for instance, there is always some circumstance in which following a particular moral rule would produce the wrong result. The Canadian Psychological Association Code of Ethics has different advantages and disadvantages for teaching professional ethics depending on one's fundamental approach. The author concludes that although he believes its rhetoric and its ordering of rules seems to reflect the overriding principle approach, the Code is actually more relevant to the moral dilemma approach. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The commerce of professional psychology and the new ethics code.

The 1992 version of the American Psychological Association's Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct brings some changes in requirements and new specificity to the practice of psychology. The impact of the new code on therapeutic contracts, informed consent to psychological services, advertising, financial aspects of psychological practice, and other topics related to the commerce of professional psychology are discussed. The genesis of many new thrusts in the code is reviewed from the perspective of the psychological service provider. Specific recommendations for improved attention to ethical matters in professional practice are made. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Application of the CPA code of ethics in planning field research: An organizational case.

Demonstrates the proactive use of the Canadian Psychological Association's (CPA's) code of ethics in planning field research by delineating the ethical implications of a research example (R. I. Sutton; see record 1989-31541-001) drawn from the organizational psychology literature. Seven steps describe how the CPA code was used to analyze Sutton's ethical dilemma. It is argued that the decision-making processes advocated by the CPA code of ethics is an effective means of identifying issues that would otherwise be neglected. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mixed agency in military psychology: Applying the American Psychological Association ethics code.

Military psychology can diverge significantly from traditional psychological practice. Mixed-agency conflicts--those arising when a military psychologist's obligations to individual patients compete with obligations to the Department of Defense or federal regulations--can generate challenging ethical dilemmas. This article explores the notion of mixed agency within the military setting and addresses the most pertinent aspects of the American Psychological Association's (2002) Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct related to this ethical challenge. Case vignettes are presented as a means of illustrating key mixed-agency dilemmas and the effective navigation of these conflicts. The article concludes with several recommendations for military psychologists as they work to anticipate and effectively manage ethical dilemmas bearing on their dual identities as officer and health care provider. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

I/O psychology in Canada: From birth to Couchiching.

Describes the 1928 birth of Canadian personnel/vocational/industrial psychology and its transformation into industrial/organizational (I/O) psychology by the mid-sixties. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Special issue on the Canadian code of ethics for psychologists.

This Special Issue contains the commentary and evaluations of more than a dozen authors on the merits of Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists. The papers examine the Code from a range of perspectives: history of psychology; philosophy of science; teaching; practice; regulation; law; and, applications beyond psychology. Perspectives of the international community of psychologists also are included. The usefulness to the public interest of placing ethical standards within a clearly defined ethical framework is affirmed by many of the authors. In addition, the articles conclude that the organization of the Code around ethical principles and the inclusion of steps for ethical decision making are invaluable in teaching and practice, especially for new or ambiguous areas. The ethical principles and decision-making steps are found to be as applicable to research as to service organizations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The image of I/O psychology: A cross-national perspective by personnel executives.

The image of industrial/organizational (I/O) psychologists was examined by executives responsible for the policy formation and implementation of human resources in their own organizations. Data from 223 Israeli executives were compared with published results from studies of New Zealand and US executives. Results suggest that executives perceived I/O psychology's major contribution to human resources management to be in the traditional areas of personnel selection, training, and attitude surveys. Although there was recognition of the potential contribution of I/O psychologists to various personnel functions, few executives had employed their services in these areas. Directions for improving the exposure of the field to managers are suggested. (11 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Professional ethics for graduate students in psychology.

Results of 2 independent questionnaires concerning the availability of courses on ethics for graduate students in psychology sent to various schools offering graduate work in psychology are combined. "Very few departments offer a course solely on professional ethics in psychology though several expressed plans for one in the future." "Ethics is handled best on a graduate level, in a seminar or colloquium, preferably on a required basis for all students, and definitely so for clinical students." "The APA code of professional ethics and journals are preferred sources of reference." "Professional training in ethics is a recent phenomenon coinciding with the APA research in this area and with the rise of clinical psychology." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

I/O psychology in the Canadian federal government: The Personnel Psychology Centre of the Public Service Commission.

Suggests that hiring in the Canadian federal government is based on merit and that tools such as selection and language standards and assessment techniques foster the assessment of merit. Legislation entrusts the Public Service Commission of Canada with the authority to develop and administer these selection tools, and this authority is, in turn, entrusted to the Personnel Psychology Centre (PPC). The scope of the PPC mandate and each divisional area of responsibility are described to illustrate the state of industrial/organizational psychology within the federal government. Implications for the PPC of the increasing concern with test bias issues are also discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The code of ethics of the French Psychological Society.

"The APA (1963) and the SFP (Société Fran?aise de Psychologie) codes of ethics have several major aspects in common. First, both codes deal in some detail with the issue of professional confidentiality." "Second, both codes recognize the social responsibility which psychologists carry… . Finally both codes recognize that obtaining and evaluating psychological data must involve the utilization of scientific method and that accurate and complete reporting of results is one of the important components of this method." The Code of Ethics of the SFP has 7 major sections titled as follows: Area of Application, Ethics, Professional Confidentiality, Respect of Others, Science, Technical Independence, Professional Independence, The code is stated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some issues of ethics and social psychology.

Reviews the implications of tightening ethical standards for social psychology, and contends that there is a current shift in the field toward investigating neutral or positive, rather than negative, aspects of human behavior. The major methodological approaches (laboratory experiments, field experiments, role playing, and complex correlational methods) are discussed with respect to the issues of validity of causal inference, ecological validity, and ethics. It is argued that there is a fundamental difference in the perception of the nature of man on the part of humanistic critics and traditional experimental social psychologists that leads to different assessments of the long-term effects of deception research on Ss. Long-term follow-up studies are proposed as a source of empirical information on which investigators and ethics committees may base decisions about the acceptability of the level of risk associated with experimental manipulations. (40 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Implications of the 1992 ethics code for diverse groups.

Previous renditions of the American Psychological Association's (APA's) code of ethics have clearly espoused psychologists' commitment to the ideal of having respect for the dignity and worth of the individual human being. The endorsement of the goal to protect fundamental human rights has always been highlighted in the Preambles of each revision of the code. The current code (APA, 1992) appears to have retreated from prioritizing this humanitarian stance. Ethnic minorities, women, gay men, and lesbians have reason to be apprehensive about the apparent downgrading in importance of psychologists' declaration of respect for the dignity and worth of the individual. All previous codes seemed to have been formulated from a perspective of protecting consumers. The new code appears to be driven by a need to protect psychologists. This article examines the possible impact of the shift in traditional priorities on diverse populations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The value and utility of the 1992 ethics code.

This article describes organizational and conceptual strengths of the current American Psychological Association's ethics code within the context of the diversity of activities in which psychologists are engaged and the constantly changing realities of professional and legal responsibilities. The article places into practical perspective (a) the revised format, choice of wording, and enforceability of the code; (b) protections for students, supervisees, research participants, and diverse groups; (c) requirements for informed consent to psychotherapy, continuity of care, and appropriate termination; (d) restrictions regarding multiple relations; and (e) standards particularly relevant to teaching, research, forensic, and managed care contexts. Discussion aims at assisting psychologists in using the ethical principles and standards to conduct their activities in morally responsible ways and avoid potential ethical violations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Professional ethics in rural and northern Canadian psychology.

Although the literature in rural, northern, and remote (R&N) psychology and professional ethics for this setting is limited, it is clear that this area of psychological practice presents a specific context which must be considered for ethical decision-making. Existing literature suggests that overlapping relationships, community pressure, generalist practice, interdisciplinary collaboration, and professional development concerns are aspects of R&N practice that may be more prevalent. When they are, they pose risks by complicating professional practice and the resolution of related ethical issues. This article highlights the ways that demographic and practice characteristics may instigate ethical issues in R&N professional practice. We briefly review these considerations in relation to the literature, professional ethics, the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists (Code), and case examples from our own practices. More specifically, we discuss how the Code provides guidance in applying the ethical principles to decision-making in R&N communities. Further, we suggest practical applications for ethical decision-making acumen inherent in the Code. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Forensic standards in the American Psychological Association's new ethics code.

The 1992 revision of the American Psychological Association's ethics code includes, for the first time, a section devoted to forensic issues. This article examines the adequacy with which the Forensic Activities section addresses fundamental ethical issues inherent in forensic practice (i.e., being competent in forensic practice, dealing with requests for service, providing informed consent, providing services, and reporting findings). We conclude that the ethics code modestly addresses important forensic ethical issues and that it too often is characterized by inconsistencies, insufficient information, omissions, and the inappropriate application of the term "forensic" to general standards not uniquely related to forensic practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Enhancing the social ethics of psychology: Toward a psychology at the service of social change.

Presents a proposal for furthering the social ethics of psychology under the general term conscientization (P. Freire, 1971), which entails carrying out 2 tasks, denunciation and annunciation. It is argued that in contrast to its considerable efforts to insure proper ethical behavior toward individual clients, psychology has virtually neglected its moral obligations to society. Psychology can contribute to the advent of social change toward a "good" society by making explicit the process by which people come to accept the current social order as the best possible one, and by proposing strategies to counteract this pervasive phenomenon. This article illustrates how psychological research and psychologists can significantly transform social structures incapable of promoting human welfare. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Using DNA in health psychology.

Discusses ways that health psychologists can use DNA in research once genes are found to be associated with behavior. The psychologists can use DNA associated with behavior to ask questions at other levels of diagnosis, especially about the the possible heterogeneity of disorders at an etiological level rather than a symptomologial level. The author comments on an article by C. Lerman et al (1998) regarding the relationship between the DRD4 gene and smoking as it is modified by the presence of depression to provide an example of this line of research. Other multivariate questions that can be asked include those regarding comorbidity, the biological mechanisms intervening between genes and behavior, and the links between the normal and abnormal. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ethical codes in South African psychology: Contribution of the Canadian code.

Discusses the regulation of professional psychology in South Africa, and the changes that professional psychology associations there have undergone. The author discusses the Psychological Society of South Africa's review of its outdated ethical code and states that the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists is a major model for the development of a new code. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

1984 CPA Award for Distinguished contributions to psychology as a science.

Presents a citation for Wallace Lambert, the 1984 recipient of the Canadian Psychological Association's Award for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology as a Science. Wallace Lambert, a professor of psychology at McGill University, has served as the Canadian Psychological Association as president in 1970 and again as honorary president in 1982/83. He was awarded a Queen's Jubilee Medal in 1977, and has been elected to the National Academy of Education of the United States and the Royal Society of Canada. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)