The effect of experience in psychological practice on making ethical judgements

Objective Ethical decision-making is a core principle in the psychology profession and ethical breaches have the potential to cause harm to clients, as well as to the profession. The present study explored the influence of experience on ethical judgements for practising psychologists when compared to psychology students. Method Thirty-two psychologists and 63 students were presented with nine ethical dilemmas and asked to select one of two potential responses, with one of the responses endorsed by two experts as meeting ethical obligations of psychologists. Participants were asked to justify their decision-making. Results Psychologists expressed significantly higher levels of ethical judgement on two of the nine scenarios providing limited support for the hypothesis that experience enhanced ethical decision-making. Where differences were found justifications suggested that psychologists were more likely to consider long-term implications and communicate stronger commitment to the professional code than did students. Conclusions The findings suggest that psychologists and students largely make ethical decisions when presented with an ethical dilemma. Where differences occur these may reflect a deeper understanding of ethics and professional obligations that is developed through experience. Making ethical decision-making a key aspect of student training and ongoing professional development for psychologists may improve ethical decision-making.