Ethics in Psychology: Professional Standards and Cases (Oxford Textbooks in Clinical Psychology, Vol 3) [Hardcover]

Gerald P. Koocher (Author), Patricia Keith-Spiegel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 12, 1998 | ISBN-10: 0195092015 | ISBN-13: 978-0195092011 | Edition: 2

Psychologists today must deal with a broad range of ethical issues--from charging fees to maintaining a client's confidentiality, and from conducting research to respecting clients, colleagues, and students. As the field of psychology has grown in size and scope, the role of ethics has become more important and complex whether the psychologist is involved in teaching, counseling, research, or practice. Now this most widely read and cited ethics text in psychology has been revised to reflect the ethics questions and dilemmas that psychologists encounter in their everyday work. Ethics in Psychology has been completely updated in response to evolving trends in psychological research and practice, as well as extensive changes in the American Psychological Association's ethics code. Gerald P. Koocher and Patricia Keith-Spiegel take a practical, commonsense approach to ethics in modern-day psychological practice, and offer constructive suggestions for both preventing problems and resolving ethical predicaments. In this book, their main intent is to present the full range of contemporary ethical issues in psychology as not only relevant and intriguing, but also as integral and unavoidable aspects of the profession. The authors make extensive use of actual case studies in order to illustrate how the APA guidelines apply to specific situations, such as fee setting, advertising for clients, research ethics, sexual attraction, classroom ethics, managed care issues, confidentiality, and much more. The most recent ethics code of the American Psychological Association (1992) is used here only as a starting point. The authors go well beyond the APA code and incorporate the input of many experts. In addition to the analysis of a wide variety of general situations, new problematic areas are identified and explored. The book includes two appendixes - Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, adopted by American Psychological Association, Rules and Procedures of the Ethics Committee of the American Psychological Association - both in an easy-to-use format. In addition, each chapter lists summary guidelines along with current and valuable references. Highly readable, the book unites a straightforward, lively writing style with humorous anecdotes that highlight the human side of ethics and make the book a pleasure to read. Ethics in Psychology will be an indispensable guide to ethical decision-making for all psychologists and students in psychology.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is a "classic-in-the-making;" that is a must-have reference for the learning (and teaching) of psychological ethics." --Metapsychology

"Written by highly distinguished psychologists who have each served on the Ethics Committee of the American Psychological Association, this book clearly reflects the authors' expertise, integrity, and common sense in dealing with ethical issues. . . . From cover to cover, it is at once humorous and sobering, and in the jargon of popular literature, a page turner."--APA Division 37 Newsletter (on the first edition)

"This comprehensive and well-written discussion of ethical issues relevant to the practice of psychology would be a valuable resource for graduate students, advanced undergraduates, and professionals in many related disciplines."--Science Books & Films

About the Author

Gerald P. Koocher is Associate Professor of Psychology and Executive Director of the Linda Pollin Institute at Harvard Medical School and Chief Psychologist at Boston's Children's Hospital. Patricia Keith-Spiegel is Voran Distinguished Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Director of the Center for the Teaching of Integrity at Ball State University.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 928 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 2 edition (March 12, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195092015
• ISBN-13: 978-0195092011
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 7.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #301,216 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Classic Work On Ethics for Psychologists, March 2, 2004

By 

Brad Johnson (Annapolis, Maryland USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ethics in Psychology: Professional Standards and Cases (Oxford Textbooks in Clinical Psychology, Vol 3) (Hardcover)

This is the classic work on how to practice ethically for psychologists who engage in clinical work, teaching, research, administration, or any other domain of professional activity. Not only does if offer a thorough review of the literature on ethical behavior, it provides a truly detailed analysis of how the ethics code applies to a vast range of contexts, client types, and vexing clinical dilemmas. What's more, the book is filled with interesting, and sometimes entertaining case vignettes--many of them based on actual ethical complaints. No other book on the market for psychologists offers this combination of clarity and thoroughness. It is a must for the library of any serious psychology graduate student or psychologist. When I teach Ethics at the graduate level, it is the only text I require.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Practicing Therapists "Must Read" Each Year, March 31, 2001

By 

R Michael Lowery (Palmetto, Florida United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ethics in Psychology: Professional Standards and Cases (Oxford Textbooks in Clinical Psychology, Vol 3) (Hardcover)

Ethics in Psychology is a graduate level textbook on the subject of ethical dilemmas in counseling. The authors definitely meet their goal in exploring the APA's Ethical guidelines and applying them pratically to the practicing therapist and academic. Their use of humorous "psuedo-psychologists" illustrate well the problem of many counselors who get themselves into ethical dilemmas each year innocently. I believe every therapist and academic should read this book at least once a year in order to minimize the ethical issues that are a part of everyday practice. Non-APA practitioners may find the book slanted toward doctoral-level therapists being the minimum for competence but there is great wisdom in this book.