Why are more psychologists entering private practice in Australia?
increased funding for access to psychological care
What are some of the implications of more psychologists entering private practice in Australia?
- Many psychologists are therefore working alone (isolation/lack of reference to others)
- Fewer psychologists in the public system - lack of adequate supervision as senior psychs leave
- increased pressure on
those who stay - is standard of care
being met by well-
trained, supervised and
experienced clinicians?
- increased pressure on
How is there increasing scrutiny from regulatory bodies / high expectations around maintaining professional skills?
- Through reporting on Continuing Professional Development
There is a requirement for psychs to recognise the ethical and professional standards of the profession AND?
The legal context in which they work
What does being an ethical psychologist mean?
- behaving in morally acceptable manner (“good conduct”)
- behaving in a way acceptable to the profession
- behaving in a way acceptable to the law
What did Ross 1930 say: “Ethics involves the philosophical study of”:
“good conduct”
The professional codes of ethics contains a clearly
articulated philosophical framework for professional
decision-making and action - TRUE OR FALSE?
FALSE
According to Davidson (2006) - If a philosophical framework is going to have heuristic value for psych practice it must weigh up:
- what profession determines to be good practice
- what the law requires
- what is the morally good or right thing to do
- what is the good or right thing to do IN THE PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES
In line with Davidson (2006) Codes of Ethics for psychology (e.g. APS) include all 3 principles:
- statements of moral intent (general principles)
- statements of professional conduct (specific standards)
- reference to lawful action
What does Davidson (2014) say in relation to ethics and training in psychology?
Should have component in PHILOSOPHICAL TRAINING in ethics that includes:
- introduction to ethical principles and reasoning
- examination of ones personal and professional values
- application of ethical reasoning to professional practice and problem solving
Psychology has struggled to find a philosophical perspective that:
- fulfills the ethical demands of the codes of conduct
- enables an acceptable examination of the moral aspects of practice
Why has psychology struggled to find a philosophical perspective that
- fulfills the ethical demands of the codes of conduct
- enables an acceptable examination of the moral aspects of practice
- individuals cannot be coerced into adopting a specific philosophical position (e.g. what is good or right)
- most psych courses do not include formal training in moral philosophy
- philosophical framework chosen must allow for converting reason into action
- hard to find a philosophical framework that is sensitive to variations in circumstances
Are there objective moral properties? What perspectives exist regarding this?
- there are objective moral properties - realism, naturalism, non-naturalism
- unsure if there are objective moral properties - scepticism
- there are no objective moral properties - emotivism, meta-ethical realism, nihilism
what are the four main moral theories of meta-ethics?
- CONSEQUENTIALISM (TELEOLOGICAL)
- actions are right or wrong by virtue of their consequences
- what is right will produce greatest net benefit - DEONTOLOGICAL approach (KANTIAN)
- actions are right or wrong in themselves regardless of consequences
- right actions are defined in terms of justice/rights and fairness
- right actions are those that would be prescribed as general law that treat people as ends (not means) - NORMATIVE RELATIVISM
- an action is right or wrong if some person or group decrees it so. - CLASSICAL VIRTUE THEORY (AGENT CENTRED)
- right actions require the exercise of good character and are not determined by the consequences OR the nature of the actions themselves
What is the CONSEQUENTIALISM (TELEOLOGICAL) moral theory?
- actions are right or wrong by virtue of their consequences
- what is right will produce greatest net benefit
What is the DEONTOLOGICAL approach (KANTIAN) moral theory?
- actions are right or wrong in themselves regardless of consequences
- right actions are defined in terms of justice/rights and fairness
- right actions are those that would be prescribed as general law that treat people as ends (not means)
What is NORMATIVE RELATIVISM moral theory?
- an action is right or wrong if some person or group decrees it so.
What is CLASSICAL VIRTUE THEORY (AGENT CENTRED?
- right actions require the exercise of good character and are not determined by the consequences OR the nature of the actions themselves
What is prima facie duty theory of right practice all about? (Ross)
- all duty is conditional
- distinction between judgements about rightness and judgements about goodness:
- Rightness and wrongness:
acts regardless of motive - Goodness and badness:
motives that give rise to
an action (what is morally
right)
- Rightness and wrongness:
According to Prima Facie Duty Theory, the judgement about the GOODNESS of the psychologist’s actions is therefore a judgement about?
the MOTIVES that underpin the actions
According to Prima Facie Duty Theory, the judgement about the RIGHTNESS/WRONGNESS of the psychologist’s actions is therefore a judgement about?
whether the act fulfills the psychologists prima facie duty to the client
**Therefore, PRIMA FACIE THEORY allows for what? **
An ethical judgement to be made about the rightness or wrongness of a specific act, WITHOUT reference to MOTIVES that underpin the act
What are the prima facie duties?
- fidelity: keeping a promise (e.g. confidentiality)
- reparation (repairing)
- gratitude
- justice
- beneficence: making a persons condition better
- self improvement (e.g. maintaining competence)
- non-maleficence - not doing harm
- extent to which it brings good things into existence rather than not bringing good thing into existence
What does prima facie theory say about the performance of a duty?
Success and failure are the only test, and a sufficient test, of the performance of a duty
