10.0 ADVERTISING AND OTHER PUBLIC STATEMENTS

Question 1

10.1 Misleading information

Answer 1

A registrant must not provide false or misleading information in public statements, including in statements concerning psychological services they offer.

Question 2

10.2 Misrepresentation of affiliations

Answer 2

In announcing or advertising the availability of psychological services or products, a registrant must not display any affiliations with an organization or individual in a manner that falsely implies the sponsorship or certification of that organization or individual.

Question 3

10.3 Restrictions on naming associations

Answer 3

A registrant must not name their employer or professional associations, in advertisements or announcements of their services, unless the psychological services are to be provided by, or under, the direct supervision and continued control of that employer or association.

Question 4

10.4 Use of registrant’s name with services and products

Answer 4

A registrant must not associate with any services or products, or permit their name to be used in connection with any services or products, in such a way as to misrepresent:

a) the services or products;
b) the degree of their responsibility for the services or products; or
c) the nature of their association with the services or products.

Question 5

10.5 Solicitation for services

Answer 5

A registrant must not contact or communicate with or cause or allow any person directly to contact or communicate with potential clients, either in person, by telephone, over the Internet, or in any other way in an attempt to solicit business, unless the person contacted represents an organization, firm, corporate entity, or community which is the potential client.

Question 6

10.6 Registration number

Answer 6

A registrant must include their registration number from the College register on all advertisements for their psychological services or products.

Question 7

10.7 Public statements

Answer 7

A registrant must ensure that all public statements, announcements of psychological services or products, advertising, and promotional activities dealing with the facilities, psychological services, or products of the registrant or the registrant’s supervisees, comply with this Code. This includes when using letterhead, business cards, and any other public name displays.

Question 8

10.8 No solicitation or use of testimonials

Answer 8

A registrant must not solicit or utilize testimonials from clients or former clients, or utilize testimonials from any other source regarding any of their professional activities, to solicit clients. This standard is not intended to prohibit a registrant from advertising their workshops or other educational services for professionals by utilizing testimonials from other professionals who have attended previous offerings of those workshops or other educational services.

Question 9

10.9 No misrepresentation of expertise

Answer 9

A registrant must not appear in, or permit the use of their name in, an advertisement that implies or could reasonably be interpreted to imply that their professional expertise is relevant to the subject matter of the advertisement.

Question 10

10.10 Exception to 10.9

Answer 10

Standard 10.9 does not apply to scholarly reviews, to an advertisement of the registrant’s own practice, or to an advertisement of a non-profit organization, provided the registrant receives no compensation for making an appearance or for use of their name.

Question 11

10.11 No misrepresentation of registration

Answer 11

A registrant must not permit, counsel, or assist those who are not registrants to represent, promote, or advertise themselves as registrants.

Question 12

10.12 No inducement for news publicity

Answer 12

A registrant must not compensate or give anything of value to representatives of the press, radio, television, Internet, or other communication media in anticipation of or in return for professional publicity in a news item.

Question 13

10.13 Indication of paid advertisement

Answer 13

A registrant must ensure that any paid advertisement is advertised as such unless it is readily apparent from the context that it is a paid advertisement.

Question 14

10.15 Media presentations

Answer 14

When a registrant provides advice or comment by means of public lecture,
demonstration, radio or television program, pre-recorded tape, printed article, mailed material, the Internet, or other media, the registrant must:

a) take precautions to ensure that the statements are based on appropriate psychological literature and practice, including the most
current relevant data;

b) exercise a high level of professional judgment;

c) ensure the statements are consistent with the requirements of this
Code;

d) take precautions to ensure that the recipients of the information are
not encouraged to infer that a professional relationship has been
established by the registrant with them personally; and

e) not name an individual registrant or offer their own psychological
services through the media, although may refer listeners or readers to
a community agency for assistance in obtaining a referral for
psychological services.

Question 15

10.16 No false or deceptive statements

Answer 15

A registrant must not make public statements that are false, deceptive,
misleading, or fraudulent, because of what they state, convey, or suggest, or because of what they omit, concerning their research, practice, or other work activities or that of persons or organizations with which they are affiliated. As
examples, and without limiting this standard, a registrant must not make false or deceptive statements concerning their:

a) training, experience, or competence;

b) academic degrees and
credentials;

c) institutional or associational affiliations;
d) fees;

e) scientific or clinical basis for, or results or degree of success of, their
psychological services; or

f) publications or research findings.

Question 16

10.18 No unauthorized use of College logo

Answer 16

Registrants are not permitted to use the College logo in any public statements
or advertizing without the written permission of the College.

Question 17

10.19 Use of restricted title in company or business name

Answer 17

A registrant who includes as part of the name of a company, or other business owned directly or indirectly, in whole or in part by the registrant either a reserved title, or another title, description or words incorporating the word “psychology,” “psychological,” or “psychologist,” or otherwise implying training, experience, or expertise as a psychologist, must ensure that:

a) all of the services offered by the company or business fall within the definition of “practice of psychology” as set out in the Psychologists Regulation;
b) all of the services offered by the company or business are provided directly by, or supervised by, a registrant of the College who is authorized to provide those services;
c) the company or business name does not use a reserved title in a manner contrary to the best interests of the public or to the maintenance of the high standards of the profession;
d) the company or business name does not assert or imply a fact that is false, inaccurate, unverifiable, or misleading;
e) the company or business name is unlikely to create an unjustified expectation of the results which can be achieved;
f) the company or business name does not compare the quality of services provided with those provided by another professional;

g) one or more responsible registrants’ names are prominently displayed whenever and wherever the company or business name is used for
advertising or promotional purposes or for otherwise communicating with members of the public (if the company or business name does not itself include the surname of one or more responsible registrants); and

h) the College is advised immediately if any of the above conditions are no longer met, and, if so, such action is taken as may be directed by the College, including changing the company or business name if so directed.