Introduction

In line with the aims of Part Six, this chapter considers ways in which understanding of ethics can be embedded into the thinking and practice of professionals in training (see Figure 1.1). To illustrate this, the case study of an educational psychology professional training programme is presented. The authors take a positive ethics approach and highlight the use of moral theory for ethical decision making.

The ability to be alert to the ethical dimensions of practice and to acquire professional knowledge and skills to make informed ethical decisions is a core competency of educational psychologists. This chapter considers approaches to teaching and learning about ethics and ethical practice that may assist student educational psychologists. Specifically, it reports on the authors’ reflections about approaches adopted in one professional training programme; although it is anticipated that some of the issues and lessons learned will have resonance for other professional training programmes in the UK and further afield. In reviewing teaching and learning approaches, the authors have considered professional guidance (for example, codes of ethics), ethical theories and research in moral development and ethical behaviour. They undertook an exploratory investigation into the ethical perspectives of a group of student educational psychologists at the beginning of their professional training. The findings from this study, which resulted in a re-evaluation of approaches to teaching and learning about ethics and ethical practice, will be used in an illustrative manner.

Professionals’ moral development and ethical behaviour

An ecological perspective (Bronfenbrenner, 1979) is helpful in conceptualising the dynamic interplay between different influences on professionals’ ethical behaviour. An individual entering a profession carries with them their psychological characteristics, life experiences and values (for example, cultural values and religious beliefs), which will interact with the professional context to both shape and be shaped by that context, in line with an interactionist perspective. Lindsay (2009) referred to the influence of contextual factors on the development of psychologists’ values that underpin their ethical behaviour; hence the importance of ethical codes reflecting societal values. Thus, new entrants to a profession carry with them views on what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ that will have an impact on their ethical behaviour. During training, individuals learn and experience the values and cultural norms of their chosen profession.