Decoding the Ethics Code, Ch. 4
Standards for Resolving Ethical Issues 1. Resolving Ethical Issues 1.01 Misuse of Psychologists’ Work If psychologists learn of misuse or misrepresentation of their work, they take reasonable steps to correct or minimize the misuse or misrepresentation. Psychologists have professional and scientific responsibilities to society and to the specific individuals, organizations, and communities with whom they work to ensure that their work products are not misused or misrepresented. Psychologists cannot reasonably be expected to anticipate all the ways in which their work can be wrongly used. Thus, Standard 1.01 of the APA Ethics Code (APA, 2010c) focuses on corrective action that must be taken when psychologists learn that others have misused or misrepresented their work. To remedy misuse, psychologists can write letters to or speak with interested parties, request retraction of misrepresentations, or discuss with appropriate persons the corrective measures to be taken.