Some recent ethical concerns of psychologists in Britain

Abstract

Recent debates about ethical issues in British psychology are illustrated by three examples, namely (i) the development of an ethical code by the British Psychological Society for psychological research involving human subjects, (ii) the ethical and legal implications of psychological research with animals, and (iii) deliberations concerning the desirability of ethical constraints for programmes of behaviour modification in hospitals. These issues are discussed in terms of the reciprocity of influence in interactions between psychologists and others, the use of aversive procedures, and the involvement of institutionalized procedures in regulating the conduct of psychologists. The review indicates that, as in other countries, ethical issues in psychology have been widely discussed in Britain in recent years.