Assignment: Psychology Ethics Essay
The purpose of this assignment is for you to understand and apply aspects of the American Psychological Association Code of Ethics to a specific ethical dilemma. You will choose from one of a series of “ethical dilemmas,” which are provided on Ulearn. In the essay, you will take on the role of “prosecutor” or “defense” and argue for or against the behavior of the fictional psychologist in the case, based on the APA code of ethics.
You will select one of the provided ethical cases, and write a 3-4 page paper in which you explore the issues presented and take a position on the actions of the psychologist described in the scenario. This will require you to review the APA code to find relevant ethical codes/principles, briefly summarize the relevant codes that pertain to the case, and offer an informed opinion about the topic.
Whichever topic you choose, your paper should include the following sections:
1. Overview of the topic – what is the ethical dilemma (or dilemmas) that appear to be present in the case? What is the conflict here in this situation? [about 1 page]
2. Argument for or against the behavior – this is the largest part of the paper, in which you will evaluate the actions of the psychologist based on the APA code of ethics. You will take on the role of a “prosecutor” if you believe that the psychologist acted unethically, or the “defense” if you believe that the psychologist acted appropriately. Be sure to clearly and thoroughly explain why you are arguing for or against their actions, based on the APA ethical code or ethical principles, citing specific codes that illustrate appropriate behavior. You must also cite any sources from outside the code. [1-2 pages]
3. Conclusion – briefly summarize your arguments for or against the psychologist’s behavior, and if you argued “against” the psychologist, suggest what they should have done instead, OR if you argued “for” the psychologist, give some suggestions as to how they might prevent similar situations in the future. [about 1 page]
4. References – include a References list (in APA style) of the credible sources you used to learn about this topic. You must include the APA code of ethics (see Ulearn) as a source for the paper. Credible sources might include journal articles, news reports, or textbooks. Websites may be acceptable, as long as you can establish where this information is coming from and can explain why this perspective is trustworthy.
Note: Your paper must be in APA writing style (check Ulearn for APA style references and tutorials if you are not familiar with APA style). Most importantly, the paper MUST contain a References page, as well as in-text citations. Failure to cite sources may constitute plagiarism. Points will be deducted for more than 5 APA style errors.
Scoring Rubric (15 points total)
[5 pts] Topic overview presents a clear explanation of the problem, and identifies one or more ethical codes relevant to the situation described. [5 pts] Writer makes a reasonable argument for or against the psychologist’s behavior, appropriately using the APA code of ethics to explain why the behavior was appropriate or inappropriate. [2 pts] Sources cited are credible and accurate reflections of the issue discussed. [3 pts] Paper is written in clear and professional language, with no more than 5 APA style errors.