Humans have a fundamental right to expect to be treated with respect for their dignity. Autonomy to make choices in life should be a valued and guiding principle in every psychologist’s mental set. This concept is the final installment of the principles in the APA Code of Conduct for psychologists (2002). This particular character of this principle should hearten all psychologists to appreciate and embrace the uniqueness of every individual and give credence to their experiences (Lowman, 2005). Nearly every standard within the Code of Conduct can be associated with this principle and most violations of these standards can be avoided if the practitioner employs this principle as an objective prerequisite to treatment with any individual. This …show more content…
The APA devised ethical principles and standards in the field of psychology in order to provide a common order for practitioners. The principles are guides and the standards are rules, each supporting the other. The ethical norms within both the standards and the principles offer convergence of ideas at many points and divergent ideas at other points. The five principles within the Code of Conduct are used to justify actions and behaviors in order to protect, respect, and appreciate a person’s rights and values in all situations. When practitioners are faced with ethical dilemmas, they must refer to the common base provided by the APA and proceed with the recommendations there in. If strict adherence to the principles and standards is forsaken, the practitioner can severely damage the perception of the doctor, the organization, and the science. Thus, the control of this adherence is entrusted only to the professional psychologist and great efforts must be taken to abide by the ethics within the Code of