The APA Code of Ethics contains core principles and standards that psychologists should use at work. The Code does not apply to their personal lives. In my opinion, the ethical principles published in the Code are universal in terms that they should be considered by all people who want to be decent members of society. I believe that psychologists should adhere to the APA Code of Ethics both in professional and personal life.
The critical principles of non-maleficence and respect for human rights mean that psychologists should not be biased and corruptible; they should treat all patients equally (APA, 2002). However, it seems impossible that in office, a specialist in psychology is not guided by prejudices and remains tolerable to all kinds of people, and outside of business hours becomes biased and intolerant. For example, if a person is racist, even during an appointment, his or her communication with a patient of another race will be guided by the racist views. A psychologist might claim that he or she treats all patients as equal during office hours, but, in reality, it is unthinkable to abandon unconscious racist beliefs for several hours.
Another example is the principle of justice that implies that a psychologist should be fair, impartial, and never misinterpret research results (APA, 2002). Once again, an individual cannot be ethical in professional life and unethical in personal one and vice versa. Psychologists are taught to be fair and just, and if one violates this rule in private life, then there are no guarantees that he or she will never follow the wrong path at the workplace.
To conclude, I suppose that the Code should apply to psychologists’ personal lives as well. It seems unfair to treat people and rules differently in the office and outside of it. If a person decides to become a psychologist, he or she, by default, gains some moral values and responsibilities that could not be ignored in personal life.
Reference
American Psychological Association (2002). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. APA. Web.