Ethics: Continuing Education For Professional Success

In psychology, ethics continuing education is about more than simply keeping up with the state’s requirements. It means following the latest trends in research and making sure that you are on the right side of any debate about the subject. The primary debate when it comes to ethical considerations in the social sciences comes down to weighing the good a piece of research can do against the harm it may cause the participants. While any psychologist or sociologist will be familiar with the basic tenants, there is a constantly shifting zeitgeist when it comes to where that line should be drawn.
One of the major components that researchers want to adhere to is the code which states that all participation in a study must be voluntary. This not only works from an ethical standpoint, it tends to have an effect on the outcome of a study. For instance, a group of people who are being coerced or even forced to participate in a study are probably not going to give you the unbiased type of results you might otherwise want. Still, there are advantages to studying people who aren’t aware they are part of a study, which is why a rule must be put into place. As with everything in ethics, continuing education is key to help people understand the thin line between encouraging someone to participate in a study and making them feel as though they have to. This line is sometimes blurred when the participants are students, employees, or inmates at a jail.
In a study of ethics, continuing education classes will often focus on an important ethical distinction. The study must be of greater importance than any harm done to the participants. In an ideal world, no harm at all would come to participants involved in a study. This, of course, is not always avoidable—although any great harm such as physical injury or long-term mental anguish should certainly be avoided at all costs. Still, inconvenience can be considered harm, as could nightmares or a disturbed mental state following aspects of a study. Like other ethical considerations, there is no concrete divider which shows a researcher the right path to take. Only by steeping one’s self in the debate can a researcher hope to come out with some informed opinions that will keep him from getting into trouble.
When it comes to ethics, continuing education is vital to the prosperous growth of a researcher’s career. Keeping up with the latest findings and debates can ensure that future studies will be of an ethical and professional nature.