Lecture 2 - Ethical Theories and Principles Flashcards
What are the 4 main ethical theories?
MADN:
Meta-Ethics (reduce harm or increase happiness? Psych tends to prioritise reducing harm)
Applied Ethics: (e.g., in bioethics; psychology)
Descriptive (e.g., descriptive emotivism)
Normative (prescriptive)
What are the 5 types of Normative Ethics
- Virtue ethics
- Absolutist ethics
- Normative relativism
- Consequentialist
- Deontological
What is a Virtue ethics approach?
Normative (prescriptive)
- Rightness requires good character (virtue) which leads to right actions (e.g., honesty, integrity, courage, compassion)
- Aristotle - there’s a balance between 2 extremes (courage)
- Plato: 4 Virtues: (Wisdom, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance)
- As psychs:
- We need to develop ethical maturity
- We need to develop honesty in balance
- How can I work on being a better person/prac?
Describe Absolutist Ethics
‘divine’ - gods will as absolute ethical guide.
OR
- It’s ‘always wrong’ in every context belief
Describe Normative Relativism
If the group decrees it to be right or wrong
There are no moral standards beyond those of one’s group.
no moral principle can be universal (thus there are difficulties with cultural diffs!)
Relative = whether it’s right depends on…. Normative= whether it’s right *should depend on…
Describe Consequentialist ethics
- determined by its consequences.
2Greatest happiness principle (aim for greatest aggregate happiness)
- In psych - estimate risk/imagine possible bad outcomes (Not doing something can be just as bad as doing something)
- STRENGTHS:
- Practical, results-oriented view
- Provides relatively clear ethical judgements - WEAKNESSES:
- Can’t always know consequences
- Values aren’t easily compared
- Could lead to ‘repugnant conclusions’ (e.g., if no one is harmed, it’s fine)
Describe Deontological ethics
Actions are right or wrong depending on adherence to duties/principles / maxims
Kant’s supreme categorical imperative (REASON-based, not god-based)
- Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.
- Does not equal the golden rule of do unto others - because ppl have different preferences
STRENGTHS:
- Accessibility of the idea of rules, duties
Includes who one is dutiful towards (own kids? Others? Psych’s duty is to their client)
WEAKENESSES:
- Aren’t consequences always important? Make different ethical decisions because of the duty we have towards diff people/relationships
- overly ‘legalistic’ - too focused on rules, too inflexible
What are deontological principles (relevant to psych)?
Prima facie duties (moral intuition?)
- Fidelity, Reparation, Justice, Non-maleficence, Beneficence, Self-improvement, Gratitude
- Duties are conditional (none are absolute)
- Some carry more weight (e.g., fidelity is #1; non-maleficence > beneficence)
- Consequences are considered (but not the only consideration)
Summarise Descriptive Ethics (Emotivism ethics)
Normative and Descriptive => sentimentalism
Descriptive is “tend” to (whereas normative is “should”)
Summarise Meta-ethical theory
It would say one action is ‘better’, ‘right’ ‘wrong’ ‘good’?
Is reducing suffering the most important, or increasing happiness? (In psych, reducing risk/harm is usually put above increasing good/happiness)
What moral theories could the APS code of ethics relate to?
Virtue ethics - language implies moral (e.g., integrity and honesty, of good character)
Consequentialism (risk and avoidance of risk) - non-maleficence
Absolutist - no sexual relationship with client
Deontological - duty of justice, fidelity etc to client (Duties, maxims, principles).
What are some therapists traits that do NOT predict outcomes
Therapist gender, age, self-reported interpersonal skills, theoretical orientation, experience, adherence to a treatment protocol.
