Ethics
Ethics are the standards that members of a profession must follow. In psychology, APA’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct lays out standards for psychologists and identifies behaviors that deserve punishment. The code includes sections on clinical practice, research and publication.
Adapted from the Encyclopedia of Psychology
What You Can Do
- Potential ethical violations
Know your rights and your psychologist's responsibilities, so that you and your psychologist can work together to avoid problems.
Getting Help
Monitor on Psychology Articles
- Psychologists helping psychologists
October 2012
- Practicing distance therapy, legally and ethically
March 2012
- More than one-fifth of graduate students have Googled clients, study suggests
October 2010
- Reproductive care goes global
January 2010
- A terminally ill patient's last request
November 2009
Books
- Essential Ethics for Psychologists
August 2010
- Ethical Dilemmas in Fertility Counseling
March 2010
- APA Ethics Code Commentary and Case Illustrations
December 2009
- Ethics in Plain English
January 2005
APA Offices and Programs
- APA Ethics Office
APA's Ethics Office supports the Ethics Committee in adjudicating ethics complaints, offers educational workshops and seminars, provides ethics consultations, and serves as a resource to APA members.
- Research Ethics
Activities and initiatives in research ethics by APA's Science Directorate.
