Psychology Faculty Publications

Technology and Culture: Differences Between APA and ACA Ethical Codes

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-2019

Journal Title

Current Psychology

ISSN

1046-1310

Volume

38

Issue

6

First Page

1410

Last Page

1416

DOI

10.1007/s12144-018-9874-y

Abstract

We conducted a section-by-section and line-by-line comparison of the ethical codes published by the American Psychological Association (APA) and the American Counseling Association (ACA). Overall, 144 differences exist between the two codes and, here we focus on two constructs where 36 significant differences exist: technology and culture. Of this number, three differences were direct conflicts between the APA and ACA ethical codes’ expectations for technology and cultural behavior. The other 33 differences were omissions in the APA code, meaning that specific elements in the ACA code were explicitly absent from the APA code altogether. Of the 36 total differences pertaining to technology and culture in the two codes, 27 differences relate to technology and APA does not address 25 of these 27 technology differences. Of the 36 total differences pertaining to technology and culture, nine differences relate to culture and APA does not address eight of these issues.

Keywords

Ethics, ethical codes, American Psychological Association, American Counseling Association, technology, culture

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