Utilitarianism was conceived in the 19th century by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill to help legislators determine which laws were morally best. Both Bentham and Mill suggested that ethical actions are those that provide the greatest balance of good over evil.
To analyze an issue using the utilitarian approach, we first identify the various courses of action available to us. Second, we ask who will be affected by each action and what benefits or harms will be derived from each. And third, we choose the action that will produce the greatest benefits and the least harm. The ethical action is the one that provides the greatest good for the greatest number.
The second important approach to ethics has its roots in the philosophy of the 18th-century thinker Immanuel Kant and others like him, who focused on the individual’s right to choose for herself or himself. According to these philosophers, what makes human beings different from mere things is that people have dignity based on their ability to choose freely what they will do with their lives, and they have a fundamental moral right to have these choices respected. People are not objects to be manipulated; it is a violation of human dignity to use people in ways they do not freely choose.
Of course, many different, but related, rights exist besides this basic one. These other rights (an incomplete list below) can be thought of as different aspects of the basic right to be treated as we choose.
In deciding whether an action is moral or immoral using this second approach, then, we must ask, Does the action respect the moral rights of everyone? Actions are wrong to the extent that they violate the rights of individuals; the more serious the violation, the more wrongful the action.
The fairness or justice approach to ethics has its roots in the teachings of the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, who said that “equals should be treated equally and unequals unequally.” The basic moral question in this approach is: How fair is an action? Does it treat everyone in the same way, or does it show favoritism and discrimination?
Favoritism gives benefits to some people without a justifiable reason for singling them out; discrimination imposes burdens on people who are no different from those on whom burdens are not imposed. Both favoritism and discrimination are unjust and wrong.
This approach to ethics assumes a society comprising individuals whose own good is inextricably linked to the good of the community. Community members are bound by the pursuit of common values and goals.
The common good is a notion that originated more than 2,000 years ago in the writings of Plato, Aristotle, and Cicero. More recently, contemporary ethicist John Rawls defined the common good as “certain general conditions that are…equally to everyone’s advantage.”
In this approach, we focus on ensuring that the social policies, social systems, institutions, and environments on which we depend are beneficial to all. Examples of goods common to all include affordable health care, effective public safety, peace among nations, a just legal system, and an unpolluted environment.
Appeals to the common good urge us to view ourselves as members of the same community, reflecting on broad questions concerning the kind of society we want to become and how we are to achieve that society. While respecting and valuing the freedom of individuals to pursue their own goals, the common-good approach challenges us also to recognize and further those goals we share in common.
The virtue approach to ethics assumes that there are certain ideals toward which we should strive, which provide for the full development of our humanity. These ideals are discovered through thoughtful reflection on what kind of people we have the potential to become.
Virtues are attitudes or character traits that enable us to be and to act in ways that develop our highest potential. They enable us to pursue the ideals we have adopted. Honesty, courage, compassion, generosity, fidelity, integrity, fairness, self-control, and prudence are all examples of virtues.
Virtues are like habits; that is, once acquired, they become characteristic of a person. Moreover, a person who has developed virtues will be naturally disposed to act in ways consistent with moral principles. The virtuous person is the ethical person.
In dealing with an ethical problem using the virtue approach, we might ask, What kind of person should I be? What will promote the development of character within myself and my community?
These five approaches suggest that once we have ascertained the facts, we should ask ourselves five questions when trying to resolve a moral issue:
This method, of course, does not provide an automatic solution to moral problems. It is not meant to. The method is merely meant to help identify most of the important ethical considerations. In the end, we must deliberate on moral issues for ourselves, keeping a careful eye on both the facts and on the ethical considerations involved.
This article updates several previous pieces from by Manuel Velasquez – Dirksen Professor of Business Ethics at Santa Clara University and former Center director – and Claire Andre, associate Center director. “Thinking Ethically” is based on a framework developed by the authors in collaboration with Center Director Thomas Shanks, S.J., Presidential Professor of Ethics and the Common Good Michael J. Meyer, and others. The framework is used as the basis for many programs and presentations at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics.
These 5 approaches and their history can be found at:
Markkula Center for Applied Ethics
http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/iie/v7n1/thinking.html
A business journal from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
September 13, 2021 • 8 min read.
In this Nano Tool for Leaders, Wharton’s G. Richard Shell explains how “the power of two” can help when you are faced with a moral or ethical dilemma at work.
Nano Tools for Leaders® — a collaboration between Wharton Executive Education and Wharton’s Center for Leadership and Change Management — are fast, effective leadership tools that you can learn and start using in less than 15 minutes, with the potential to significantly impact your success as a leader and the engagement and productivity of the people you lead.
Contributor: G. Richard Shell, Wharton professor of legal studies and business ethics and author of The Conscience Code: Lead with Your Values. Advance Your Career .
Strengthen your ability to confront ethically questionable acts or wrongdoings by bringing in allies.
According to a 2021 report from the Ethics and Compliance Initiative, 63% of middle managers were pressured by bosses to violate their firm’s ethical code of conduct in 2020. Over half of middle and upper managers observed ethical misconduct, while 79% of employees experienced retaliation for reporting it. Well-run corporate compliance programs and healthy corporate cultures can reduce this problem significantly, but these are hard to sustain across large enterprises over long periods of time. And too many companies give only lip service to both.
When you are faced with a moral or ethical dilemma at work, it’s common to believe that your choices are limited to three less-than-optimal options: remain silent, single-handedly confront the perpetrator(s), or report him or her (and perhaps the whole team) to a higher authority. For those who are conflict averse — and those who don’t feel options two and three are viable for other reasons — the first option is the most appealing. But there is another way.
In fact, believing you have to handle this situation alone, no matter which option you choose, violates the Conscience Code — a set of 10 rules developed to help you lead with your values while advancing your career. Specifically, Rule #6 explains the importance of leveraging the Power of Two: an ally can bolster your confidence, help you think more clearly about next steps, and keep you grounded when people try to make it look as if you are the problem. In fact, when it comes to resisting pressure from peers and authority to “just go along with it” or “look the other way,” 1 + 1 equals much more than 2. Psychologists report that the best workplace allies are those who help you better understand the situation you are in and then provide the confidence boost you need to manage it. For ideas about when and how to leverage alliances, see the Action Steps below.
Action Steps
When you face wrongdoing at work, instead of choosing one of the less-than-optimal options described above, consider testing out your viewpoint in private with one other person, perhaps a quieter one who might be open to hearing your perspective and creating an alliance. If that is too risky, consider reaching out to the person who recruited you, a mentor, or a colleague who had been at the firm longer than you. If you are a woman or minority, research shows that you may find strength by conferring with one another in the face of situations involving sexism or racism.
Here are three ideas for leveraging the Power of Two:
How Leaders Use It
By now, the story of charismatic 19-year-old Stanford undergraduate Elizabeth Holmes and her idea for a new approach to blood testing is well known. What’s often missing from tales of the Theranos scandal are Tyler Shultz and Erika Cheung, two twentysomething employees who were faced with immense pressure from their superiors and peers to go along with what was clearly a massive fraud. Their story demonstrates the power of an ally when you encounter real-world conflicts.
New hires Shultz and Cheung worked together on a team that was testing the accuracy of the Edison — Holmes’s blood testing machine. When they noticed that data showing results that deviated too far from expected performance never made it into reports, they were told that it was standard practice to ignore these “outliers.” They also became concerned that the firm was misreporting a variety of metrics on the Edison’s accuracy for different types of blood tests, and that, compared with accurate results from traditional machines, the Edison failed. When Shultz and Cheung pushed back, they were admonished for not being “team players.” Finally, after their superiors knowingly submitted false data to regulators, Shultz turned in an anonymous complaint to investigators and sent an email to Holmes with details of his concerns (many of which came from Cheung). Berated once again, the two decided to quit. Cheung filed a formal complaint with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services about the misconduct she had observed. The complaint triggered a formal investigation, which, in combination with a series of front-page investigative stories in the Wall Street Journal (sourced in part by Shultz and Cheung) and Shultz’s anonymous filing with regulators, brought an end to Theranos. Shultz and Cheung leveraged the Power of Two, feeding off each other’s energies; advancing each other’s strategic thinking; and providing independent, credible information from the inner workings of a corrupt organization that could be used as evidence by the legal system.
Knowledge in Action: Related Executive Education Programs
Richard Shell teaches in Negotiation and Influence: Making Deals and Strategy Work , Advanced Management Program , and Executive Development Program .
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The right decision method: an approach for solving ethical dilemmas.
Annie Johnson Sirek, MSW is a Project Coordinator at the Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota. She thanks Marianne and Julie of the Human Services Research Institute, and Amy and Derek of the University of Minnesota, for developing this method to use in daily practice and training.
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An ethical dilemma requires a person to define right from wrong. But, as Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), we know that this is not so simple. We face difficult decisions in our daily practice. There are often many different rules, principles, and opinions at play. We are called to respond in allegiance to the individuals we support. The National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) Code of Ethics provides a roadmap to assist in resolving ethical dilemmas.
Ethical dilemmas can be resolved through effective decision-making. Since we are so often called upon to make independent judgments, it is important to incorporate the NADSP Code of Ethics within our daily practice. Many ethical dilemmas can be resolved easily with consultation and reflection. However, some issues cannot. Therefore, to help make it easier to solve difficult ethical dilemmas, consider a framework from which to work. The College of Direct Support has provided an approach to ethical decision-making with the NADSP Code of Ethics. This is called the RIGHT Decision Method.
Sometimes there really is a “right” way to make decisions under difficult conditions. The RIGHT Decision Method gives us tools to make sound ethical decisions and resolve ethical dilemmas. RIGHT is an acronym that stands for each step of the decision-making process:
The first step is recognizing the conflicting obligations and clearly stating the dilemma. It is important to recognize and use the NADSP Code of Ethics as you begin with this step. You may consider —
The second step is identifying points of view in the situation. This means considering the viewpoint of the person receiving services, your colleagues, other parties involved, and the NADSP Code of Ethics. Restating the problem clearly to someone else can also help you check out whether you have interpreted the situation accurately. It is important to understand how the person receiving supports feels. Consider —
The third step is gathering resources and assistance that might help you figure out what to do. Now that you have an accurate understanding for the problem and various perspectives, this step encourages you to consider other people who may be able to assist you. You may also need to find important information. For example —
The fourth step means that you are ready to make your decision. Formulating a plan will help you decide the best way to put your ideas into action. Once you have considered the following issues, write a plan down and identify step-by-step actions that you plan to take —
The fifth and final step is implementing the plan you developed in the manner you decided. Then, it is important to monitor its success using the success indicators you identified in the planning process to help you reflect on your decision —
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Victoria d. suarez.
1 Endicott College, Beverly, MA USA
2 Village Autism Center, Marietta, GA USA
3 Behavioral Health Center of Excellence, Los Angeles, CA USA
Human service practitioners from varying fields make ethical decisions daily. At some point during their careers, many behavior analysts may face ethical decisions outside the range of their previous education, training, and professional experiences. To help practitioners make better decisions, researchers have published ethical decision-making models; however, it is unknown the extent to which published models recommend similar behaviors. Thus, we systematically reviewed and analyzed ethical decision-making models from published peer-reviewed articles in behavior analysis and related allied health professions. We identified 55 ethical decision-making models across 60 peer-reviewed articles, seven primary professions (e.g., medicine, psychology), and 22 subfields (e.g., dentistry, family medicine). Through consensus-based analysis, we identified nine behaviors commonly recommended across the set of reviewed ethical decision-making models with almost all ( n = 52) models arranging the recommended behaviors sequentially and less than half ( n = 23) including a problem-solving approach. All nine ethical decision-making steps clustered around the ethical decision-making steps in the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts published by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board ( 2020 ) suggesting broad professional consensus for the behaviors likely involved in ethical decision making.
Ethical decision making is operant behavior involving a behavior chain of complex responses (Marya et al., 2022 ). As behavior analysts, we make difficult ethical decisions daily. Behavior analysts are typically taught to respond to ethical scenarios via vignettes or descriptions of real-world ethical dilemmas (e.g., Bailey & Burch, 2016 ; Sush & Najdowski, 2019 ). However, the variability in ethical dilemmas that behavior analysts contact can be extensive and often contains contextual information not included in past training. Such contextual variables (e.g., impact of and on stakeholders, organizational variables, perspective of the funding source) might alter one’s course of action. Ethical decision-making models can equip behavior analysts with the needed tools to navigate varied and complex dilemmas. Thus, behavior analysts can benefit from models that allow an analysis of contextual variables because those variables often impact solutions.
Ethical conduct of board certified behavior analysts is governed by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) ethical codes. Since its inception, the BACB has disseminated three major codes— Guidelines for Responsible Conduct for Behavior Analysts (BACB, 2004 , 2010 ), the Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analysts (BACB, 2014 ), and most recently the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts (BACB, 2020 ). Although versions prior to 2020 outlined specific ethical obligations and provided a framework and reference for considering paths of action when confronted with ethical challenges, no ethical decision-making tool was embedded until the most recent Code iteration.
Within applied behavior analysis (ABA), several ethical decision-making models have been published to guide behavior analysts to make optimal decisions (BACB, 2020 ; Bailey & Burch, 2013 , 2022 ; Brodhead, 2015 ; Brodhead, Quigley, & Wilczynski, 2018 ; Newhouse-Oisten et al., 2017 ; Rosenberg & Schwartz, 2019 ; Sush & Najdowski, 2019 ). These models unanimously share the common goal of providing readers with a systematic approach to ethical decision making, yet include unique elements that provide varying contextual recommendations. Some models offer a generalizable approach affording wider applicability to a variety of ethical situations (BACB, 2020 ; Bailey & Burch, 2013 , 2016 , 2022 ; Brodhead et al., 2018 ; Rosenberg & Schwartz, 2019 ; Sush & Najdowski, 2019 ), and other models provide guidance to navigate specific ethical situations (Brodhead, 2015 ; Newhouse-Oisten et al., 2017 ). Moreover, some models incorporate a problem-solving approach wherein multiple behaviors are considered along with their possible outcomes to aid decision making in ethical contexts (Rosenberg & Schwartz, 2019 ).
Existing models within the behavior analytic literature have all emerged in the last 7 years and offer a discipline-specific approach. However, many other allied disciplines (e.g., medicine, psychology) have published literature offering models for ethical decision making for a longer period than the field of behavior analysis. Recently, there have been calls to action where behavior analysts have been looking to and learning from related professions (LaFrance et al., 2019 ; Miller et al., 2019 ; Pritchett et al., 2021 ; Taylor et al., 2019 ; Wright, 2019 ). Learning from other disciplines may help the field of behavior analysis rule out ineffective approaches or derive novel effective solutions more quickly.
The purpose of this systematic literature review was to conduct a descriptive analysis of ethical decision-making models across behavior analysis and allied disciplines. This literature review aimed to identify similarities and differences in approaches to ethical decision making that could inform future ethical decision-making models and aid the development of ethical decision-making skills in behavior analysts.
Articles included in this systematic review met the following three criteria: published in peer-reviewed journals through June 2020, written in English, and the title or abstract included keywords from the search (described below). We began the review in July 2020 and completed it in August 2021.
We conducted a systematic review of the literature on ethical decision-making models for the fields of applied behavior analysis, education, medicine, occupational therapy, psychology, social work, and speech language pathology using the Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines (Moher, Liberati, Tetzlaff, Altman, & Prisma Group, 2009 ). We chose these fields because of their similarities to behavior analysis’ mission in serving vulnerable populations. The following procedures were completed in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines: (1) potential articles meeting inclusion criteria were identified; (2) the identified articles were comprehensively screened; (3) the eligibility of each article was evaluated across dependent measures; and (4) the included articles were analyzed.
The first and second authors completed primary database searches using PsycINFO and PubMed. The keywords used to identify potential articles to be included in this analysis were: applied behavior analysis, clinical psychology, counseling psychology, decision mak*, educat*, ethic*, model, medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, speech and language*, and social work. In particular, the key words “ethic*”, “decision mak*”, and “model” were used in combination with the terms “applied behavior analysis,” or “clinical psychology,” or “counseling psychology,” or “medicine,” or “nursing,” or “occupational therapy,” or “speech,” or “language.”
The initial PsycINFO and PubMed searches yielded 635 articles. Of these, 46 were duplicates. The titles and abstracts of the remaining 589 articles were read by the first and second authors to evaluate the inclusion of keywords. Full-text articles were retrieved for studies that included the words ethics or ethical , decision making , or model in their abstracts or titles ( n = 249). Of these, a total of 173 articles were selected for full-text review.
The articles selected for full-text review ( n = 173) were read in their entirety to evaluate whether they met these criteria: (1) included humans as the population of interest; (2) mentioned decision making; (3) mentioned ethics; (4) provided at least three identifiable steps to be followed as a part of a model in either a text or figure format; and (5) the provided model addressed how to respond to ethical dilemmas. The first and second authors scored each of the 173 articles across the aforementioned criteria to determine whether they would be included in the final analysis. Articles ( n = 27) for which it was unclear whether they met any of the criteria were coded as needing additional review, and the third and fourth authors completed an additional full-text review to determine whether they would be included in the final analysis. A total of 126 articles were removed for not meeting all five of the criteria. Thus, 47 articles remained to be included in the analysis.
Next, the first and second authors conducted a manual search (i.e., identification through other sources) of the references ( n = 1,354) for the remaining 47 articles. The screening criteria for this search was identical to the initial screening in which the title and abstract were searched for the inclusion of the words ethics or ethical , decision making , and model . Seventy-nine additional articles were identified through this process. Of these 79 articles, 16 were identified as duplicates from the initial PsycINFO and PubMed searches. Twelve articles were inaccessible to us online or through available library loans and were thus excluded. A list of these articles is not included in this article but is available upon request. Upon reviewing the full text of the remaining 51 articles, 26 additional articles met eligibility to be included in the analysis. In sum, a total of 60 articles met all inclusion criteria and were included.
Interrater reliability was scored using a consensus-based approach. In particular, all four authors collaboratively scored each of the models across the various measures described in the section below. If there was disagreement on scoring at any point, the authors collaboratively reviewed the model using figures provided within the article and any available text describing the model until consensus in scoring was reached.
Articles that met criteria for inclusion were evaluated across four dependent measures. First, we evaluated the steps included within the models from each article. Second, we categorized the model by the professional discipline or field of study. Third, we evaluated whether the model author presented the model in a specific order or sequence (i.e., linear or sequential model). Lastly, we scored whether the model included a problem-solving approach. We provide greater detail on each of these dependent measures below.
The models from each article were evaluated across nine steps (Table (Table1). 1 ). These steps were developed during the process of data synthesis. We read the included articles and identified common themes based on their prevalence in the examined literature. Next, we began classifying articles by the inclusion of these steps, indicating whether each article contained each of the identified steps. Then, we began tracking additional steps that appeared in articles. If those steps appeared in multiple articles, we added them as official steps in the analysis. When this was done, all previously coded articles were recoded for these additional steps. For the purpose of the current review, we identified the following nine components of ethical decision making: (1) ethical radar; (2) urgent detour; (3) pinpoint the problem; (4) information gathering; (5) available options/behaviors; (6) ranking and weighing; (7) analysis; (8) implementation; and (9) follow-up. Details on scoring criteria for each of these steps can be found in Appendix Table Table4. 4 . We scored models included in each article as either including or not including the steps listed above. This was done by using the text description of the model, if provided, or the figure representation of the model if descriptive text was not included.
Steps from the Decision-Making Model from the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts ( 2020 ) and from the Current Literature Review
Steps from BACB code | Steps from current literature review |
---|---|
1. Clearly define the issue and consider potential risk of harm to relevant individuals. | 1. Ethical radar ( ). |
2. Urgent detour | |
3. Pinpoint the problem ( ). | |
2. Identify all relevant individuals. | 4. Information gathering ( ?) 4a. Affected parties ( ). 4b. Reference professional code of ethics. 4c. Reference other codes of ethics ( ). 4d. Case specific information ( ). |
3. Gather relevant supporting documentation and follow-up on second-hand information to confirm that there is an actual ethical concern. | |
4. Consider your personal learning history and biases in the context of the relevant individuals.* | |
5. Identify the relevant core principles and Code standards. | |
6. Consult available resources (e.g., research, decision-making models, trusted colleagues). | |
7. Develop several possible actions to reduce or remove risk of harm, prioritizing the best interests of clients in accordance with the Code and applicable laws. | 5. Available options/behaviors |
8. Critically evaluate each possible action by considering its alignment with the “letter and spirit” of the Code, its potential impact on the client and stakeholders, the likelihood of it immediately resolving the ethical concern, as well as variables such as client preference, social acceptability, degree of restrictiveness, and likelihood of maintenance. | 6. Ranking/weighing of information |
9. Select the action that seems most likely to resolve the specific ethical concern and reduce the likelihood of similar issues arising in the future. | 7. Analysis |
10. Take the selected action in collaboration with relevant individuals affected by the issue and document specific actions taken, agreed-upon next steps, names of relevant individuals, and due dates. | 8. Implementation |
11. Evaluate the outcomes to ensure that the action successfully addressed the issue. | 9. Follow up |
*Step 4 of the BACB model aligns with components from Step 6 of current literature review.
Decision-making Steps
Steps | Description |
---|---|
Ethical radar | This step was coded if the author(s) referenced a signal-detection component in the process of decision making. Signal detection refers to the experience of detecting an ethical dilemma. In particular, the individual may feel that something is unusual, that something is out of the ordinary, or they may feel some vague discomfort. This step was coded to be present if the model made a reference to the practitioner coming into contact with a situation wherein they suspected there might be an ethical issue present. For example, if a practitioner was instructed by their supervisor to round up the time they actually spent delivering services. Encountering such a situation might lead a practitioner to be uncomfortable such that further analysis is warranted. |
Urgent detour | This step was coded if the model author(s) referred to situations in which a practitioner would need to report the issue to a legal or other governing body prior to taking any other actions or analyzing the situation further. For example, if a practitioner encountered a situation in which they had reasons to suspect abuse of their client by the parent. Provided that the practitioner had enough evidence to support their suspicion, it would be essential for them to report the abuse to child services prior to taking any other action. |
Pinpoint the problem | This step was coded if the model author(s) referred to the practitioner explicitly identifying the ethical issue. The distinguishing feature of this step as compared with the earlier step of ethical radar is the precise identification of the ethical issue beyond a general suspicion that an ethical issue might be present. For example, in the case of a practitioner who is approached by a client to purchase an item from the client’s business, pinpointing the problem would include labeling the actions as the potential development of a dual relationship. |
Information gathering | This step was coded when the model author(s) recommended gathering contextually relevant information that would be needed to make an ethical decision. The information collected was further divided into the following subcategories where appropriate: a. : This step was coded if the model author(s) included any language that mentioned different people involved in the situation or how the situation might impact different parties. For example, if parents, teachers, or other affected individuals are relevant to the ethical dilemma or decision. b. This step was coded if the model author(s) guided the model users to follow their professional code of ethics. c. This step was coded if the model author(s) guided the model users to follow other codes of ethics that differ from the code of ethics from their professional affiliation(s). For example, if the practitioner is prompted to refer to the rules and regulations specific to their organization, or a reference is made to their religious or personal values. d. This step was coded if the model author(s) referenced any other information that might be specific to the situation but was not captured in the other subcategories listed above. For example, issues of client preferences, quality of life, contexts and settings, and assessment of the practitioners’ understanding of the circumstances all fell into this category. |
Available options/behaviors | This step was coded if the model author(s) guided the model users to consider information that would limit or constrain the practitioners’ set of available behaviors. For example, if there were any medical indications that required consideration or if colleagues should be consulted. |
Ranking and weighing | This step was coded if the model author(s) guided the model user to consider the influence of their learning history, the impact of personal values, application of guidelines, or the results of a risk-benefit analysis. |
Analysis | This step was coded if the model author(s) guided the model user to consider and synthesize the information from the prior steps to make a decision. |
Implementation | This step was coded if the model author(s) guided the model user to implement the decided plan of action. |
Follow up | This step was coded if the model author(s) guided the model user to evaluate the solution or action after it was implemented. |
The field of study of each article was recorded (e.g., psychology). Where possible, we also included a secondary field of study (e.g., school psychology). The primary field of study of the article was determined based on the journal that it was published in and the intended audience of the article. Secondary fields of study were coded to further gather information about the specific subfield. For example, if the article was published in a psychology journal and the audience of the article was specifically school psychologists.
Models within each article were scored as including a problem-solving component or approach if the model author(s) guided the model users to identify two or more possible solutions and likely outcomes or consequences to the possible solutions. Models that did not include more than one possible solution and did not anticipate outcomes to solutions were scored as not including a problem-solving component.
We coded whether the proposed model was linear or sequential in nature. That is, the model author(s) indicated that steps in the model followed a certain order or sequence wherein each preceding step in the model was to be considered prior to moving on to subsequent steps. If a model was not linear or sequential, this was also recorded.
A total of 55 ethical decision-making models across 60 peer-reviewed journal articles were analyzed. Models included in more than one article were counted as duplicates, and papers that included more than one model resulted in each unique model being coded.
Table Table2 2 shows the number of models that included each of the nine steps. None of the steps were present in all models and the step that was included in the greatest number of models was ranking and weighing information ( n = 51; 93%). After ranking and weighing information, the steps found in the most-to-least number of models were: affected parties and available options/behaviors ( n = 49; 89%); reference other codes of ethics (e.g., personal, religious, organizational; n = 44; 80%); analysis ( n = 43; 78%), reference of professional codes ( n = 40; 73%); case specific information ( n = 38; 69%); implementation and pinpoint the problem (29 models each; 52%); follow up ( n = 26; 47%); ethical radar ( n = 21; 38%); urgent detour ( n = 16; 29%); and, information gathering ( n = 11; 20%).
Steps Included in Each Model
Steps | No. of models (%) | Models |
---|---|---|
Ethical radar ( ) | 21 (38%) | Boccio, ; Bommer et al., ; Cassells et al., ; Cassells & Gaul, ; Christensen, ; DeWolf, ; Duff & Passmore, ; Ehrich et al., ; Fan, ; Forester-Miller & Davis, ; Grundstein-Amado, ; Hayes, ; Heyler et al., ; Hill et al., ; Hough, ; Kaldjian et al., ; Kanoti, ; Kirsch, ; Macpherson et al., ; Ponterotto & Reynolds, ; Zeni et al., |
Urgent detour | 16 (29%) | Boccio, ; Bolmsjö, Sandman, & Andersson., ; Bommer et al., ; Candee & Puka, (Deontology); Cassells et al., ; Cassells & Gaul, ; DeWolf, ; Ehrich et al., ; Fan, ; Forester-Miller & Davis, ; Greipp, ; Hill et al., ; Hughes & Dvorak, ; Sileo & Kopala, ; Soskolne, ; Tymchuk, |
Pinpoint the problem ( ) | 29 (53%) | Boccio, ; Bolmsjö et al., ; Bommer et al., ; Christensen, ; Fan, ; Green & Walker, ; Grundstein-Amado, ; Haddad, ; Harasym et al., ; Hill et al., ; Hough, ; Johnsen et al., ; Johnson et al., ; Jones, ; Kaldjian et al., ; Kanoti, ; Kirsch, ; Laletas, ; Liang et al., ; Marco et al., ; Murphy & Murphy, ; Park, ; Phillips, ; Shahidullah et al., ; Soskolne, ; Sullivan & Brown, ; Toren & Wagner, ; Tsai & Harasym, ; Zeni et al., |
Information gathering | 11 (20%) | Cassells et al., ; DeWolf, ; Ehrich et al., ; Harasym et al., ; Hayes, ; Hough, ; Hughes & Dvorak, ; Jones, ; Sileo & Kopala, ; Tsai & Harasym, ; Tymchuk, |
Affected parties | 49 (89%) | Boccio, ; Bolmsjö et al., ; Bommer et al., ; Candee & Puka, (Deontology); Candee & Puka, (Utilitarian); Cassells et al., ; Cassells & Gaul, ; Christensen, ; Cottone, ; du Preez & Goedeke, ; Duff & Passmore, ; Fan, ; Ferrell et al., ; Forester-Miller & Davis, ; Green & Walker, ; Greipp, ; Grundstein-Amado, ; Haddad, ; Harasym et al., ; Hayes, ; Heyler et al., ; Hill et al., ; Hough, ; Hughes & Dvorak, ; Hundert, ; Johnsen et al., ; Johnson et al., ; Jones, ; Kaldjian et al., ; Kanoti, ; Kirsch, ; Laletas, ; Liang et al., ; Macpherson et al., ; Murphy & Murphy, ; Nekhlyudov et al., ; Phillips, ; Park, ; Ponterotto & Reynolds, ; Schaffer et al., ; Schneider & Snell, ; Siegler, ; Shahidullah et al., ; Sileo & Kopala, ; Soskolne, ; Sullivan & Brown, ; Tsai & Harasym, ; Tunzi & Ventres, ; Tymchuk, ; |
Reference professional code of ethics | 40 (73%) | Boccio, ; Bolmsjö et al., ; Cassells et al., ; Cassells & Gaul, ; Christensen, ; Cottone, ; DeWolf, ; du Preez & Goedeke, ; Duff & Passmore, ; Ehrich et al., ; Fan, ; Forester-Miller & Davis, ; Green & Walker, ; Greipp, ; Haddad, ; Harasym et al., ; Hayes, ; Heyler et al., ; Hill et al., ; Hough, ; Hughes & Dvorak, ; Johnsen et al., ; Kaldjian et al., ; Kirsch, ; Laletas, ; Liang et al., ; Macpherson et al., ; Marco et al., ; Park, ; Phillips, ; Ponterotto & Reynolds, ; Schaffer et al., ; Schneider & Snell, ; Shahidullah et al., ; Siegler, ; Sileo & Kopala, ; Soskolne, ; Sullivan & Brown, ; Toren & Wagner, ; Tsai & Harasym, |
Reference other codes of ethics | 44 (80%) | Boccio, ; Bolmsjö et al., ; Bommer et al., ; Candee & Puka, (Deontology); Cassells et al., ; Cassells & Gaul, ; Christensen, ; Cottone, ; du Preez & Goedeke, ; Duff & Passmore, ; Ehrich et al., ; Fan, ; Ferrell et al., ; Forester-Miller & Davis, ; Garfat & Ricks, ; Green & Walker, ; Greipp, ; Haddad, ; Harasym et al., ; Hayes, ; Heyler et al., ; Hill et al., ; Hough, ; Hundert, ; Johnson et al., ; Jones, ; Kaldjian et al., ; Kirsch, ; Laletas, ; Liang et al., ; Macpherson et al., ; Marco et al., ; Nekhlyudov et al., ; Park, ; Phillips, ; Schaffer et al., ; Schneider & Snell, ; Shahidullah et al., ; Sileo & Kopala, ; Sullivan & Brown, ; Toren & Wagner, ; Tsai & Harasym, ; Tymchuk, ; Zeni et al., ; |
Case specific information | 38 (69%) | Bommer et al., ; Candee & Puka, (Deontology); Cassells et al., ; Cassells & Gaul, ; Christensen, ; Cottone, ; DeWolf, ; Ehrich et al., ; Ferrell et al., ; Forester-Miller & Davis, ; Greipp, ; Grundstein-Amado, ; Haddad, ; Harasym et al., ; Hayes, ; Hughes & Dvorak, ; Hundert, ; Johnsen et al., ; Johnson et al., ; Jones, ; Kaldjian et al., ; Kanoti, ; Laletas, ; Liang et al., ; Murphy & Murphy, ; Nekhlyudov et al., ; Park, ; Phillips, ; Ponterotto & Reynolds, ; Schneider & Snell, ; Shahidullah et al., ; Siegler, ; Sileo & Kopala, ; Soskolne, ; Sullivan & Brown, ; Tsai & Harasym, ; Tunzi & Ventres, ; Zeni et al., |
Available options / behaviors | 49 (89%) | Boccio, ; Bolsmjö et al., ; Candee & Puka, (Deontology); Candee & Puka, (Utilitarian); Cassells et al., ; Cassells & Gaul, ; Christensen, ; Cottone, ; DeWolf, ; du Preez & Goedeke, ; Duff & Passmore, ; Fan, ; Ferrell et al., ; Forester-Miller & Davis, 1996; Garfat & Ricks, ; Greipp, ; Grundstein-Amado, ; Harasym et al., ; Hayes, ; Heyler et al., ; Hill et al., ; Hough, ; Hughes & Dvorak, ; Hundert, ; Johnsen et al., ; Johnson et al., ; Jones, ; Kaldjian et al., ; Kanoti, ; Kirsch, ; Laletas, ; Liang et al., ; Macpherson et al., ; Marco et al., ; Murphy & Murphy, ; Nekhlyudov et al., ; Park, ; Phillips, ; Ponterotto & Reynolds, ; Schaffer et al., ; Schneider & Snell, ; Shahidullah et al., ; Siegler, ; Sileo & Kopala, ; Soskolne, ; Toren & Wagner, ; Tsai & Harasym, ; Tunzi & Ventres, ; Tymchuk, |
Ranking / weighing of information | 51 (93%) | Boccio, ; Bolsmjö et al., ; Bommer et al., ; Candee & Puka, (Deontology); Candee & Puka, (Utilitarian); Cassells et al., ; Cassells & Gaul, ; Christensen, ; Cottone, ; du Preez & Goedeke, ; Duff & Passmore, ; Ehrich et al., ; Fan, ; Ferrell et al., ; Forester-Miller & Davis, ; Garfat & Ricks, ; Green & Walker, ; Greipp, ; Grundstein-Amado, ; Haddad, ; Harasym et al., ; Hayes, ; Heyler et al., ; Hill et al., ; Hughes & Dvorak, ; Hundert, ; Johnsen et al., ; Johnson et al., ; Jones, ; Kaldjian et al., ; Kanoti, ; Kirsch, ; Laletas, ; Liang et al., ; Macpherson et al., ; Marco et al., ; Murphy & Murphy, ; Nekhlyudov et al., ; Park, ; Phillips, ; Ponterotto & Reynolds, ; Schaffer et al., ; Schneider & Snell, ; Shahidullah et al., ; Siegler, ; Soskolne, ; Sullivan & Brown, ; Tsai & Harasym, ; Tunzi & Ventres, ; Tymchuk, ; Zeni et al., |
Analysis | 43 (78%) | Bolsmjö et al., ; Bommer et al., ; Candee & Puka, (Utilitarian); Cassells et al., ; Cassells & Gaul, ; Christensen, ; Cottone, ; du Preez & Goedeke, ; Duff & Passmore, ; Ehrich et al., ; Fan, ; Ferrell et al., ; Forester-Miller & Davis, ; Green & Walker, ; Grundstein-Amado, ; Haddad, ; Harasym et al., ; Heyler et al., ; Hill et al., ; Hughes & Dvorak, ; Hundert, ; Johnsen et al., ; Johnson et al., ; Jones, ; Kaldjian et al., ; Kanoti, ; Kirsch, ; Laletas, ; Macpherson et al., ; Murphy & Murphy, ; Nekhlyudov et al., ; Park, ; Phillips, ; Ponterotto & Reynolds, ; Schaffer et al., ; Shahidullah et al., ; Soskolne, ; Sullivan & Brown, ; Toren & Wagner, ; Tsai & Harasym, ; Tunzi & Ventres, ; Tymchuk, ; Zeni et al., |
Implementation | 29 (53%) | Bolsmjö et al., ; Cassells & Gaul, ; Christensen, ; DeWolf, ; du Preez & Goedeke, ; Duff & Passmore, ; Ehrich et al., ; Ferrell et al., ; Forester-Miller & Davis, ; Garfat & Ricks, ; Haddad, ; Harasym et al., ; Heyler et al., ; Hill et al., ; Hough, ; Jones, ; Kanoti, ; Kirsch, ; Laletas, ; Macpherson et al., ; Murphy & Murphy, ; Park, ; Phillips, ; Ponterotto & Reynolds, ; Soskolne, ; Sullivan & Brown, ; Toren & Wagner, ; Tsai & Harasym, ; Tymchuk, |
Follow up | 26 (47%) | Bolsmjö et al., ; Bommer et al., ; Cassells & Gaul, ; Christensen, ; DeWolf, ; du Preez & Goedeke, ; Ferrell et al., ; Forester-Miller & Davis, ; Garfat & Ricks, ; Harasym et al., ; Heyler et al., ; Hill et al., ; Hough, ; Johnsen et al., ; Kanoti, ; Kirsch, ; Liang et al., ; Macpherson et al., ; Murphy & Murphy, ; Park, ; Phillips, ; Ponterotto & Reynolds, ; Soskolne, ; Sullivan & Brown, ; Toren & Wagner, ; Tymchuk, |
Figure Figure1 1 shows a stacked bar chart of the primary and secondary fields of the ethical decision-making models. Medicine dominated the resulting set of models, followed by psychology, education, business, then child and youth care and organizational behavior management (OBM). Nevertheless, 23 different subspecialties were represented in the secondary field of the ethical decision-making models.
Stacked-Bar Graph Showing the Number of Ethical Decision-Making Models Based on the Primary and Secondary Literatures from which It Came
Table Table3 3 presents a list of the synthesized models and their respective fields of study. The most common field of study across the 55 models was medicine ( n = 34; 62%). Seventeen of the models from medicine were specific to the subfield of nursing (50%) and three were specific to the subfield of psychiatry (9%). Of the remaining models from the field of medicine, one each was specific to critical care (3%), dentistry (3%), emergency medicine (3%), geriatrics (3%), internal medicine (3%), and oncology (3%). The remaining models from the field of medicine were coded as “general medicine” because they did not indicate a specific subfield.
Field of Study of Included Models
Primary field | Secondary field | Models |
---|---|---|
Business | Leadership | Zeni et al., |
Management | Jones, | |
Child and Youth Care | Not Specified | Garfat & Ricks, |
Education | Administration | Green & Walker, |
Teaching | Ehrich et al., ; Johnson et al., | |
Engineering | Not Specified | Fan, |
Medicine | Critical care | Kanoti, |
Dentistry | Johnsen et al., | |
Emergency medicine | Marco et al., | |
Epidemiology | Soskolne, | |
Family medicine | Tunzi & Ventres, | |
Geriatrics | Kirsch, | |
Internal medicine | Kaldjian et al., | |
Nursing | Bolmsjö, Sandman, & Andersson, ; Cassells et al., ; Cassells & Gaul, ; Christensen, ; DeWolf, ; Ferrell et al., ; Greipp, ; Haddad, ; Hough, ; Hughes & Dvorak, ; Macpherson et al., ; Murphy & Murphy, ; Park, ; Phillips, ; Schaffer et al., ; Sullivan & Brown, ; Toren & Wagner, | |
Oncology | Nekhlyudov et al., | |
Psychiatry | Grundstein-Amado, ; Hayes, ; Hundert, | |
Not Specific | Candee & Puka, (Deontology); Candee & Puka, (Utilitarian); Harasym et al., ; Schneider & Snell, ; Siegler, ; Tsai & Harasym, | |
Organizational behavior management | Business | Bommer et al., |
Psychology | Coaching | Duff & Passmore, |
Counseling | Cottone, ; Forester-Miller & Davis, 1996; du Preez & Goedeke, ; Sileo & Kopala, | |
I/O psychology | Heyler et al., | |
Pediatric psychology | Shahidullah et al., | |
Psychobiography | Ponterotto & Reynolds, | |
School psychology | Boccio, ; Laletas, | |
Not Specified | Tymchuk, ; Hill et al., ; Liang et al., |
Thirteen models were specific to the field of psychology (24%). Four of the psychology specific models were from the subfield of counseling (31%) and two were specific to the subfield of school psychology (15%). Other specified psychology subfields included coaching ( n = 1; 8%), industrial/organizational psychology ( n = 1; 8%), pediatric psychology ( n = 1; 8%), and psychobiography ( n = 1; 8%). The remaining models were coded as “general psychology” because they did not indicate a specific subfield.
Three models were specific to the field of education (5%). Two of these were specific to the subfield of teaching (67%) and one was specific to the subfield of administration and leadership (33%). Two models were specific to the field of business (4%); one of these was specific to the subfield of management (50%) and the other to the subfield of leadership (50%). One model was specific to the field of child and youth care (2%), one was specific to engineering (2%), and one was specific to OBM (2%).
Figure Figure2 2 shows the number of models that contained a problem-solving approach. A total of 23 models included a problem-solving approach (42%) and 32 did not (58%). Most of the models with a problem-solving component came from medicine ( n = 15; 65%), followed by psychology ( n = 7; 30%), and engineering ( n = 1; 43%). No models from the fields of business, education, or OBM included a problem-solving component.
Bar Graph Showing the Number of Decision-Making Models with and without a Problem-Solving Component, and Models that were Sequential or Nonsequential
Figure Figure2 2 also shows the number of models that were sequential. A total of 52 models were linear or sequential in nature (95%), whereas 3 were not (5%). Most of the models that were sequential came from medicine ( n = 32; 62%), followed by psychology ( n = 14; 27%), education ( n = 3; 58%), business ( n = 2; 4%), engineering ( n = 1; 2%), and child and youth care ( n = 1; 2%).
The goal of this literature review was to identify and analyze published ethical decision-making models in behavior analysis and allied disciplines to determine consistency in recommended approaches. We examined 55 ethical decision-making models to collect data on what recommended steps were included and what approaches were most frequently emphasized. Three general themes within ethical decision-making models arose from our analysis. These include: (1) What steps were included within models; (2) Whether the steps were sequential (i.e., a behavior chain); and (3) Whether the entire process could be labeled as problem solving (i.e., Szabo, 2020 ). We discuss each of these findings in turn.
The first main finding surrounds the variability in recommended steps of ethical decision making across models. We found that each of the nine steps coded appeared in an average (arithmetic mean) of 58% of the articles (range: 20%–93%). This suggests that some consistency exists in what behaviors various scholars recommend practitioners should engage in when faced with an ethical decision. However, the wide variability in how frequently each behavior appeared also highlights that ABA practitioners would benefit from researchers clarifying at least three important characteristics of ethical decision-making models. These are: (1) What behaviors are necessary and sufficient to make an optimal ethical decision in ABA contexts (i.e., component analysis)? (2) What are the conditions under which specific steps are and are not needed (i.e., conditional discrimination analysis)? (3) Is there an optimal functional result of ethical decision making that is more important than the specific topographies a practitioner uses to contact that outcome (i.e., functional analysis; see Cox, 2021 )? Practitioners and researchers may begin to explore some of these questions when engaging in ethical decision making.
More than half of the articles examined emphasized the need for consulting ethical codes. It is interesting that more ethical models recommended practitioners reference codes of ethics from outside their discipline ( n = 44; 80% of models; e.g., personal, religious, organizational) than their own discipline’s code of ethics ( n = 40; 73%). To our knowledge, the conflict between personal and professional codes of ethics is an underexplored topic in the ABA literature. Nevertheless, the slightly greater emphasis on other codes of ethics in addition to one’s own discipline suggests this might be an important area where practitioners could use guidance. Also, the field of ABA would likely benefit from future research and scholarship surrounding the conditions and functional outcomes of ethical decisions where personal and professional values conflict.
It is important to mention that our review was done prior to the publication of the BACB’s ( 2020 ) ethical decision-making model. The BACB’s model was published in the analysis and writing stage of this review. Our findings suggest a robust literature spanning 40+ years, 60+ articles, and 50+ models all clustered around similar ethical decision-making steps published by the BACB. Perhaps most intriguing is that we identified the nine steps from our review prior to the publication of the BACB’s model, and no previous models had incorporated all nine ethical decision-making steps until the BACB published their decision model (BACB, 2020). Practicing behavior analysts would benefit from future component analyses, conditional discrimination analyses, functional analyses, and empirical support surrounding the BACB’s ethical decision-making model.
Our analysis also suggests that behavior analysts and allied professionals approach ethical decision making similarly. Given the complexity of ethical decision making and the shared types of dilemmas human service professionals contact, some convergence is expected. However, there are many reasons that two professionals from different disciplines may come into disagreement (Boivin et al., 2021 ; Bowman et al., 2021 ; Cox, 2019 ; Gasiewski et al., 2021 ). Having familiar systems with empirical support for how to navigate ethical dilemmas might improve the likelihood that a positive resolution occurs. Further, such interprofessional similarities in ethical decision-making processes allows future interdisciplinary dialogue to focus more on specific areas of agreement because what and how information will be used to make a decision is already agreed upon.
We found that 95% of the ethical decision-making models could be described as a behavior chain (e.g., Catania, 2013 ). Framing ethical decision making as a behavior chain might be useful as it highlights the interrelated and sequential nature of ethical decision making. That is, completing one step in an ethical decision-making behavior chain leads to a context wherein the next response in the chain is more likely to contact reinforcement. For example, until you have gathered all relevant information about how the decision will affect all relevant parties, your ranking and weighing of information seems less likely to lead to the best outcome. That said, the temporally delayed nature of behaviors and consequences involved in ethical decision making is different than how behavior chains have been studied in laboratory settings (e.g., Baum, 2017 ; Cox, 2021 ; Slocum & Tiger, 2011 ). Future research will likely be needed to better understand the effects of temporal relations on behavior chains and thus determine what approach best provides a behavioral description of ethical decision making.
It is interesting that the order in which steps were proposed differed across models. We are unaware of any research that compares the effectiveness of different sequential ethical decision-making models to understand whether the order of behaviors recommended as a chain are more or less useful. Nevertheless, future research that identifies the extent to which rigid sequences of behaviors need to occur to optimize decision making would be helpful for the field of ABA. Such information would likely improve behavior analytic training programs and prove useful for clinical directors, ethics committee chairs, case supervisors (e.g., BCBAs), and direct staff (e.g., RBTs).
Recent attention has been given to the common-sense problem-solving approach (Szabo, 2020 ), which we used to score models within the current analysis. This problem-solving approach may offer great utility and is observed across various fields (e.g., cognitive psychology; Szabo, 2020 ). Within behavior analysis, this problem-solving approach has increasingly been applied to teach complex skills (e.g., Suarez et al., 2021 ). Our review involves an interesting extension of this analysis to ethical decision making and indicates the steps of the models may also point to additional precurrent behaviors or mediating strategies that could prove to be important elements of the behavioral chain.
We found that 42% of the ethical decision-making models could be described as including problem solving (e.g., Kieta et al., 2019 ). Framing ethical decision making as involving problem solving is advantageous because of the existing empirical literature on how to teach problem-solving skills and recognition of the importance of verbal stimuli and verbal behavior (e.g., Kieta et al., 2019 ). However, this also might have the drawbacks of adding complexity and less empirical support specific from the behavior analytic literature on describing, predicting, and controlling problem solving. This suggests that there are either components of ethical decision making outside of problem solving or that there are components of problem solving that might be missing from current decision-making models. Future research using concept analysis (e.g., Layng, 2019 ) combined with laboratory experiments may help clarify which of the above scenarios is more likely (or if there’s an unknown third!).
We also found that 58% of the ethical decision-making models could not be described as including problem solving. We are unaware of any research that has directly compared the effectiveness of ethical decision-making models with and without problem-solving components. Nevertheless, a practically useful set of empirical questions might identify the conditions under which ethical decision-making models with and without problem-solving components are more helpful for practitioners. Behavior analytic training programs subsequently could teach fluency toward ethical decision making via problem solving under some conditions and ethical decision making without problem solving under other conditions.
The current study included several limitations. One limitation centers on the procedures used for rater agreement. Article ratings were completed in a group format and by consensus among the authors. It is possible that reactivity to other members of the group affected overall ratings (e.g., Asch, 1956 ). It is also possible that the search terms we used failed to capture relevant ethical decision-making models or that additional search terms would have led to different results. Further, we also restricted our inclusion criteria to specific human service fields allied to ABA. Thus, it is possible that a more comprehensive search of ethical decision-making models across more varied professions would lead to different outcomes. Finally, we did not include ethical decision-making models published in books mainly due to access issues and a typical lack of peer-review for books. Regardless, these limitations may provide greater support for our primary findings that the existing variability in ethical decision-making steps and overall lack of empirical support suggest this area is ripe for future research.
The development of an ethical decision-making skill set is vital for behavior analysts and for other human service providers. Dilemmas present as complex circumstances, with specific and unique contextual variations that require nuanced assessment. The process of training behavior analysts to meet these demands is daunting. There is a need to identify strategies for navigating dilemmas and for making ethical decisions. Allied professions and behavior analysis have identified steps in this process. Many of these models use problem-solving techniques. The BACB’s Decision Making Model overlaps substantially with existing literature across professions, and uses a problem-solving, sequential approach. These results are especially interesting as we had completed identifying the decision-making steps scored in the current article before the BACB model was released. It seems that the field has built a model that is entirely aligned with and built upon this interprofessional database. It will be important to empirically evaluate this new model. It will also be important to explore other decision-making approaches, to compare models, and to (potentially) match models to the contextual variables embedded in the presenting dilemma. The field of behavior analysis has, at times, been insular, and this has been a source of internal and external criticism. However, this review of the literature supports the substantial overlap across fields and provides concrete hope for mutually beneficial interdisciplinary collaboration. So, although decision-making models can be field-specific, ethical dilemmas appear to be universal and so are the intended outcomes. As behavior analysis tackles this complex skill set, it is important to learn from colleagues in allied disciplines, examine the component skills likely to be crucial to the development of this behavioral repertoire, and develop procedures for measuring, teaching, and training clinicians to methodically approach ethical dilemmas.
The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
No funding was received to assist with the preparation of this manuscript.
The authors do not have any potential conflicts of interest to disclose and have no relevant financial or nonfinancial interests to disclose.
No human participants were involved in this research, and therefore informed consent was not obtained.
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Through the years we have found that the Focus on Ethics column is an excellent tool for identifying and addressing difficult issues childhood educators are facing in their work with young children and their families. This March 2017 column is particularly timely because it presents for consideration a scenario we have heard time and again. It describes the difficult situation facing a teacher who must balance what she believes is best for a child with a father’s insistence that his son not be allowed to dress up in clothes or play with accessories that are typically associated with girls (purses, jewelry, etc.). It is an issue you may be facing in your own classroom.
This Focus on Ethics column asks you to consider how to respond to Mr. Jackson—the father of 4-year-old Victor—who insists that his son not be permitted to play with clothes or accessories typically associated with girls and women. This issue involves a conflict between a request made by a family member and what the teacher believes is good practice.
Victor enjoys playing dress-up in the dramatic play area. He is a quiet and reserved child who usually follows other children’s lead. But when engaging in dramatic play, Victor’s leadership shines as he collaboratively creates scenarios with his classmates. He is particularly adept at playing characters such as firemen, princesses, bumblebees, and moms. One day Mr. Jackson, Victor’s father, who rarely comes to the center, arrives to pick up Victor and sees that he is in a pink princess costume. He curtly tells Marge, Victor’s teacher, that he does not want her to allow Victor to play in the dress-up area in the future. He then orders Victor to change, and they quickly leave. Marge is taken aback by Mr. Jackson’s behavior.
The center is devoted to fostering relationships with all of its families, and Marge has recently made great strides in attracting Victor’s family to potlucks and school workdays. The staff collectively believe that in addition to building children’s imaginations, dramatic play enhances their social and communication skills and is an integral part of the learning process that gives children opportunities to develop abstract thinking, literacy, math, and social studies skills.
What should Marge, an ethical teacher, do?
As we have written in NAEYC’s books on professional ethics and in this column, when faced with a challenging situation in the workplace, an early childhood educator needs to determine whether it is an ethical issue. Our experience tells us that many are unsure about how to proceed. The first question you should ask yourself is, “Does this issue concern right and wrong, rights and responsibilities, human welfare, or individuals’ best interests?” If you answer no to all of these questions, it is not an ethical issue and you will need to handle it as you would handle any workplace concern. If you answer yes to any of the questions, you are facing an ethical issue. How you respond will depend on whether the issue is an ethical responsibility or an ethical dilemma .
Ethical responsibilities are mandates that are clearly spelled out in the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct: they describe what early childhood educators must and must not do. It is important to remember PBS Kids (supports all STEM learning) that when you encounter a situation that involves an ethical responsibility, you must follow the Code’s clear directions. Then you can be confident that when you have done the right thing, the Code is there to back you up. You can rely on it to help you explain why you made a difficult or unpopular decision.
When you determine that a situation involves ethics and that it is not a clear-cut responsibility, it is likely to be an ethical dilemma. A dilemma is a situation in which the legitimate needs and interests of two or more individuals or groups are in conflict with one another. Resolving a dilemma forces you to choose between two or more morally justifiable courses of action, each of which has some benefits but also some costs.
While it is true that ethical dilemmas often force you to make difficult decisions, sometimes they can be resolved by using ethical finesse . This strategy is particularly appealing because it enables you to resolve an issue in a way that is acceptable to all the parties involved. It lets you avoid having to pick a winner and a loser.
Finessing an ethical dilemma requires creative problem solving and good-faith negotiation, and it requires that, in an effort to find a course of action that is satisfactory to all, everyone involved be willing to compromise. We have found that many of the ethical dilemmas faced by early childhood educators can be finessed, so we recommend that this be the first approach you try. But it is important to remember that finesse will not resolve every dilemma you will face. The philosopher Kenneth Kipnis, who played an important role in the development of the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct, offers this important reminder:
Ethical finesse lets us avoid having to give up something precious. There is nothing wrong with it, indeed it is helpful to have a checklist of maneuvers for slipping out of a dilemma. But professional ethics does not consist entirely of finesse. Sometimes hard choices must be made. (Kipnis 1987, 29)
While ethical finesse is a useful strategy that can help resolve many dilemmas, remember that you must still be prepared to make a difficult decision when it is required. The process described below will help you address the dilemmas you encounter in your work with children and families fairly, and in a way that reflects your knowledge and commitment to the field’s Code of Ethical Conduct.
We recommend you use the following process to help you reach a well-reasoned response that systematically applies the Code.
Part 1—Determine the nature of the problem
1. Is it an ethical issue?
2. If it is an ethical issue, does it involve ethical responsibilities, or is it an ethical dilemma? (If it is an ethical responsibility, what does the Code mandate that Marge do?) If it is an ethical dilemma, Marge can seek a resolution using the steps that follow.
Part 2—If it is a dilemma, analyze it using this process
1. Identify Marge’s conflicting responsibilities.
2. Brainstorm possible resolutions.
3. Consider ethical finesse (finding a way to meet everyone’s needs without having to make a difficult decision).
4. Look for guidance in the NAEYC Code. Carefully review its Core Values, Ideals, and Principles—particularly those that apply to responsibilities to children and families.
5. Based on your review of the Code, and using your best professional judgment, describe what you think is the most ethically defensible course of action.
To read our discussion of this situation, please see the Focus on Ethics column in the September 2017 issue of Young Children .
Kipnis, K. 1987. “How to Discuss Professional Ethics.” Young Children 42 (4): 26–30.
Focus on Ethics is designed to involve the readers of Young Children . Email your proposed resolution to the situation to coeditors Stephanie Feeney ( [email protected] ) and Nancy Freeman ( [email protected] ). Be sure to use the subject line “NAEYC Ethics.”
Responses should be no more than 500 words and must be received by June 30, 2017. The analysis will appear in the September 2017 issue of Young Children .
. . . . or send us an ethical issue you have experienced
We hope you will share with us an ethical issue you have encountered in your workplace that you would like to be considered for presentation in this column. Send a short (400–500 word) description of the situation to coeditors. Be sure to use the subject line “NAEYC Ethics.”
Photgraph courtsey of iStock
Stephanie Feeney, PhD, is professor emerita of education at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She is coauthor of NAEYC’s “Code of Ethical Conduct” and NAEYC’s books about professional ethics. She participated in the development of supplements to the code for adult educators and program administrators and has written extensively about ethics in early care and education. She is the author of numerous articles and books, including Professionalism in Early Childhood Education: Doing Our best for Young Children and coauthor of Who Am I in the Lives of Children ? [email protected]
Nancy K. Freeman, PhD, is professor emerita of education at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, where she was a member of the early childhood faculty. She has served as president of NAECTE and was a member of its board for many years. Nancy has written extensively on professional ethics since the 1990s, and has been involved in the Code’s revisions and in the development of its Supplements for Program Administrators and Adult Educators. [email protected]
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Human service practitioners from varying fields make ethical decisions daily. At some point during their careers, many behavior analysts may face ethical decisions outside the range of their previous education, training, and professional experiences. To help practitioners make better decisions, researchers have published ethical decision-making models; however, it is unknown the extent to which published models recommend similar behaviors. Thus, we systematically reviewed and analyzed ethical decision-making models from published peer-reviewed articles in behavior analysis and related allied health professions. We identified 55 ethical decision-making models across 60 peer-reviewed articles, seven primary professions (e.g., medicine, psychology), and 22 subfields (e.g., dentistry, family medicine). Through consensus-based analysis, we identified nine behaviors commonly recommended across the set of reviewed ethical decision-making models with almost all ( n = 52) models arranging the recommended behaviors sequentially and less than half ( n = 23) including a problem-solving approach. All nine ethical decision-making steps clustered around the ethical decision-making steps in the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts published by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board ( 2020 ) suggesting broad professional consensus for the behaviors likely involved in ethical decision making.
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Suarez, V.D., Marya, V., Weiss, M.J. et al. Examination of Ethical Decision-Making Models Across Disciplines: Common Elements and Application to the Field of Behavior Analysis. Behav Analysis Practice 16 , 657–671 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-022-00753-1
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Essential Steps for Ethical Problem-Solving |
Is there a conflict of values, or rights, or professional responsibilities? (For example, there may be an issue of self-determination of an adolescent versus the well-being of the family.) 2. IDENTIFY the key values and principles involved. What meanings and limitations are typically attached to these competing values? (For example, rarely is confidential information held in absolute secrecy; however, typically decisions about access by third parties to sensitive content should be contracted with clients.) 3. RANK the values or ethical principles which - in your professional judgment - are most relevant to the issue or dilemma. What reasons can you provide for prioritizing one competing value/principle over another? (For example, your client’s right to choose a beneficial course of action could bring hardship or harm to others who would be affected.) 4. DEVELOP an action plan that is consistent with the ethical priorities that have been determined as central to the dilemma. Have you conferred with clients and colleagues, as appropriate, about the potential risks and consequences of alternative courses of action? Can you support or justify your action plan with the values/principles on which the plan is based? (For example, have you conferred with all the necessary persons regarding the ethical dimensions of planning for a battered wife’s quest to secure secret shelter and the implications for her teen-aged children?) 5. IMPLEMENT your plan, utilizing the most appropriate practice skills and competencies. How will you make use of core social work skills such as sensitive communication, skillful negotiation, and cultural competence? (For example, skillful colleague or supervisory communication and negotiation may enable an impaired colleague to see her/his impact on clients and to take appropriate action.) 6. REFLECT on the outcome of this ethical decision making process. How would you evaluate the consequences of this process for those involved: Client(s), professional(s), and agency (ies)? (Increasingly, professionals have begun to seek support, further professional training, and consultation through the development of Ethics review Committees or Ethics Consultation processes.) From discussion by Frederick Reamer & Sr. Ann Patrick Conrad in Professional Choices: Ethics at Work (1995), video available from NASW Press 1-800-227-3590 Format developed by Sr. Vincentia Joseph & Sr. Ann Patrick Conrad NASW Office of Ethics and Professional Review, 1-800-638-8799 750 1st Street, NE, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20002
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If the problem is not resolved by reviewing the ACA Code of Ethics, then you have a complex ethical dilemma and need to proceed with further steps in the ethical decision-making process (Bradley & Hendricks, 2008; Forester-Miller & Davis, 1996). Levitt, Farry, and Mazzarella (2015) indicated that decision-making models can be time consuming.
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Text Box 5.1: A Model for Ethical Problem Solving in Clinical Medicine [Step 1] Identify the ethical problem: Consider the problem within its context and attempt to distinguish between ethical problems and other medical, social, cultural, linguistic and legal issues. Explore the meaning of value-laden terms, e.g. futility, quality of life. [Step 2]
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Ethical Decision Making Framework - Frederic Reamer (2012) 1. Identify the ethical issues, including the social work values and ethics that conflict. 2. Identify the individuals, groups, and organizations that are likely to be affected by the ethical decision. 3. Tentatively identify all possible courses of action and the participants involved in
History and description of the 5 ethical models: Philosophers have developed five different approaches to values to deal with moral issues. The Utilitarian Approach. Utilitarianism was conceived in the 19th century by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill to help legislators determine which laws were morally best.
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The RIGHT Decision Method: An approach for solving ethical ...
The ethics submission form was specifically designed to follow the problem-solving and decision-making steps outlined in the training materials. For example, the form prompts team members to (a) describe their concern (i.e., detect the problem), (b) consider which BACB Code item is relevant to their scenario (i.e., define the problem), (c ...
Examination of Ethical Decision-Making Models Across ...
If it is an ethical dilemma, Marge can seek a resolution using the steps that follow. Part 2—If it is a dilemma, analyze it using this process. 1. Identify Marge's conflicting responsibilities. 2. Brainstorm possible resolutions. 3. Consider ethical finesse (finding a way to meet everyone's needs without having to make a difficult ...
Essential Steps in Ethical Problem Solving Author: Barry L. Mintzer, Esq. FOCUS Newsletter - July, 1996 Determine whether there is an ethical issue or dilemma. Is there a conflict of values, or rights, or professional responsibilities? (For example, there may be an issue of self-determination of an adolescent versus the well-being of the family
Through consensus-based analysis, we identified nine behaviors commonly recommended across the set of reviewed ethical decision-making models with almost all (n = 52) models arranging the recommended behaviors sequentially and less than half (n = 23) including a problem-solving approach. All nine ethical decision-making steps clustered around ...
Essential Steps for Ethical Problem-Solving 1. DETERMINE whether there is an ethical issue or/and dilemma. Is there a conflict of values, or rights, or professional responsibilities? ... NASW Office of Ethics and Professional Review, 1-800-638-8799 750 1st Street, NE, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20002 . More Ethics Articles . Ethics Resources:
A 10-Step Process for Resolving Ethical Issues
An ethical committee must review and approve the protocol for these online exams, as detailed in Appendix D. ... Furthermore, continuing with the traditional knowledge assessment through a clear definition of steps for problem-solving, adapting it to the course and learning objectives. Additionally, integrating machine learning algorithms will ...