Psychologists as Change Agents and Their Issues Essay

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Introduction

As a code of thinking and behavior, ethics and its considerations are very crucial to psychologists during the normal execution of their duties in the society. These interventions constitute information, treatment of people, and other initiatives in the society irrespective of whether they are direct or indirect dealings. When psychologists discharge their duties within the society, their ethical considerations are based on doing what is right in the context of moral, social standards, personal, and legal perspectives. While following the guiding principles, psychologists are faced with a myriad of challenges that are both legal and ethical.

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The challenges

The environment under which psychologists discharge their roles as change agents is very sensitive to their conduct. The individual providing psychological services should be aware of the challenges that lie ahead. Community members who consume the services that the psychologist provides have the right to know that the provider is competent. This makes competence a severe ethical challenge. Competence calls for referrals to other practitioners who may have different or higher knowledge. The problem, in this case, arises from the fact that psychologists may feel inferior. The psychologists in the same breadth find it challenging to discuss their levels of competence with any person who may be categorized as a consumer of the services (Corey & Callanan 2011). Complacency is likely to catch up with people who are employed, although it works negatively on their skills. Psychologists are under obligation to update themselves with the current trends in their fields of operation through means such as refresher courses.

The other challenge is associated with a relationship with vulnerable individuals. In most cases, psychologists work among many people who may generally be inferior. Less power in this context relates to age, legal status, emotional insecurities, and academic levels. This is likely to result in consumers of psychological services becoming inferior and hence unable to release information freely. This can complicate the work of the change agents.

Practitioners can collect information that is relevant to them in all fields, including fields that they understand. They are, in these circumstances, not supposed to escalate the issue. Part of the information may be sensitive, and the owner may be concerned about knowing who accesses the same services. The balancing act between convincing the consumer to release information to the third party and sticking to the code of confidentiality becomes the most significant challenge. Actions out of this could lead to legal tussles if not handled well.

In addition to their roles, psychologists have many other duties that fall in their category of change agents. Explanations on what is handled out of the profession are essential because the failure of the same could make the consumers of the services lose trust in the practitioner.

The role of students in psychology

In-training psychologists have a more significant role in society since they should make sure that they understand their role as psychologists before graduating. This helps in understanding the ethical and legal implications that come with their profession. They should also improve their knowledge regarding seeking information (Fisher 2009). Other skills, including designing research, are essential when approaching ethical issues. The students should also engage in using their brains in interpreting the knowledge gathered by thinking widely. The student of psychology ought to be active, deliberate, and creative when they come to the field to face the challenges mentioned above.

References

Corey, G & Callanan, P (2011). Issues and ethics in the helping professions, California: Thomson Books Publishers.

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Fisher, B. (2009). Decoding the ethics code: A practical guide for psychologists. California: Sage publications.

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IvyPanda. 2020. "Psychologists as Change Agents and Their Issues." July 28, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/psychologists-as-change-agents-and-their-issues/.

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