Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct7576718

Preamble and Common Principles are not themselves enforceable guidelines, they ought to be regarded as by psychologists in arriving at an ethical course of action. The Ethical Requirements set forth enforceable rules for conduct as psychologists. Most of the Ethical Standards are written broadly, in order to apply to psychologists in varied roles, even though the application of an Ethical Standard might differ based on the context. The Ethical Standards are not exhaustive. The fact that a given conduct is not specifically addressed by an Ethical Standard does not mean that it is necessarily either ethical or unethical.

This Ethics Code applies only to psychologists' activities that are part of their scientific, educational, or expert roles as psychologists. Areas covered consist of but are not restricted to the clinical, counseling, and school practice of psychology research teaching supervision of trainees public service policy improvement social intervention development of assessment instruments conducting assessments educational counseling organizational consulting forensic activities plan design and evaluation and administration. This Ethics Code applies to these activities across a variety of contexts, such as in person, postal, phone, internet, and other electronic transmissions. These activities shall be distinguished from the purely private conduct of psychologists, which is not within the purview of the Ethics Code.

Membership in the APA commits members and student affiliates to comply with the standards of the APA Ethics Code and to the rules and procedures utilized to enforce them. Lack of awareness or misunderstanding of an Ethical Regular is not itself a defense to a charge of unethical conduct.

The procedures for filing, investigating, and resolving complaints of unethical conduct are described in the present Guidelines and Procedures of APA Ethics Committee. APA may impose sanctions on its members for violations of the requirements of the Ethics Code, such as termination of APA membership, and may notify other bodies and people of its actions. Actions that violate the standards of the Ethics Code might also lead to the imposition of sanctions on psychologists or students whether or not they are APA members by bodies other than APA, such as state psychological associations, other expert groups, psychology boards, other state or federal agencies, and payors for health services. In addition, APA may take action against a member following his or her conviction of a felony, expulsion or suspension from an affiliated state psychological association, or suspension or loss of licensure. When the sanction to be imposed by APA is much less than expulsion, the 2001 Guidelines and Procedures do not guarantee an chance for an in-person hearing, but usually provide that complaints will be resolved only on the basis of a submitted record.

The Ethics Code is intended to offer guidance for psychologists and standards of expert conduct that can be applied by the APA and by other bodies that select to adopt them. The Ethics Code is not intended to be a basis of civil liability. Whether a psychologist has violated the Ethics Code standards does not by itself figure out whether or not the psychologist is legally liable in a court action, whether or not a contract is enforceable, or whether or not other legal consequences happen.

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