Ethical Standards and Codes Research Paper

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Role of Ethical Standards and Codes in Psychology

One may wonder why it is so important to have an ethical code of behavior for psychologists. After all, psychologists are highly trained professionals who would not seem to need a rigid code to dictate how to behave in their professional lives. However, it is critical to keep in mind that, by the very nature of their work, psychologists become involved in the personal lives of their clients. Moreover, clients come to rely upon the advice of their psychologists, and oftentimes even the most legitimate advice can be painful or difficult for the client. Therefore, it can be very hard for clients to tell when a psychologist's behavior is outside of ethical norms. Furthermore, because psychologists are oftentimes helping people establish better interpersonal relationships, it can be very difficult for them to establish the appropriate boundaries. Because of the personal and vulnerable natural of the psychologist-client relationship, it is very important to make sure that those relationships are governed by specific rules. In fact, psychologist Pauline Kafka does an excellent job of outlining reasons why psychologists are bound by an ethical code. First, she mentions job clarity.

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Next, she discusses respectful behavior. Kafka's third reason for ethical codes is public protection. Her fourth and final reason is prohibiting dual roles (Kafka, 2008). Taken together all of these factors help clearly define the boundaries of the psychologist-client relationship.

The role of ethical standards and codes in the field of psychology is very specifically described by the American Psychological Association (APA). The Ethics Code is meant to provide guidance to psychologists and professionals in related fields that have chosen to adopt the Code. The Ethics Code is meant to govern only that professional or scholastic conduct that the psychologist or the student engages in his or her role as a student or a professional, not their conduct in their personal life or in other business relationships. Moreover, the Ethics Code is meant to serve as a professional guide, but not to be substituted for legal standards. According to the APA, "whether….....

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