What Can the History of Psychology Teach Us About the Role of Ethics in The Discipline?

 It is an evident fact that the history of psychology is filled with immense amount of knowledge and the ethical overlapping. It has attracted the major issues of cultural biasness, their representation and the problems of power for leading the debate in the field of discipline that is linked with the strong boundaries of ethical norms. The ethical dilemmas of psychology are highlighted by research in the field of psychology with its interrelationship with the ethics and morality. It has a profound impact on the rate of reflexivity as well as it outlines the social responsibilities and their collaboration with different other forms of disciplines that are available. The aim of this paper is to highlight the role of ethics and its relationship with the history of psychology. This includes including the works of prominent authors and researchers and examining their work based on the disciplinary memory, integration of quality methods and the involvement of cultural perspectives in the field of psychology. Although the research aims are clear but there is an immense need to observe the ethical considerations in detail to measure the scope of application of ethical principles and their social relevance with the context of the research. The ethical principles are highlighted under the history of psychology in this research. The scholarly work in this domain is also cited that contributed to the successful completion and provides a deeper analysis of the ethical and social responsibilities.

Starting with the Little Albert experiment that was conducted by John Watson and Rosalie, 1920. It is observed that the experiment has a major impact in the history of psychology. Thus, formulating the basis for the ethical considerations for future studies. Later on, it was highlighted by Harry that the disciplinary memory and the actualization of myths in the field of psychology also served for overshadowing the violations that were against the ethical considerations. It was uncovered that the un-informed consent and the exploitation of child subject were the major ethical violations of the experiment. Harris believed that the shortcomings of Little Albert experiment as an effective teaching tool should be referred while developing a reflection on the disciplinary history of psychology (Harris, 2011).

Wong on the other hand conducted research for explaining the disciplinary frontiers of psychology. He took the basic guidance from the work of Wilhelm Wundt and argued that the work of Wundt on cultural psychology provided a deeper insight towards the role of ethics in discipline. Wong suggested that the findings by Wundt not only put emphasis on the cultural variability but it also recognized the ethical implications in a diverse setting. He also noted that this work can efficiently contribute in the self-reflection as well as introspection for the ethical reflexivity in the field of psychological research (Wong, 2009).

The early origins of psychology were traced by Vidal in his book named as “The Sciences of the Soul”. It was argued in his book that the ethical considerations were a basic building block for the psychological inquiry ever since the concept of free will and responsibility. The nature of the self and the dilemma of inception are discussed in detail in the work of Vidal. He was of the view that the modern shape of psychological concepts is the outcome of the contemporary debates and the historical understanding of the driving forces in the field of psychology. The historical understanding and the efficient navigation despite of the ethical challenges allow shaping the complexities and solving them for understanding the linkage between morality, science and culture (Vidal, 2011).

The comprehensive examination of the research methodologies in the field of behavioral science is provided by Kaplan. He highlighted the use and implementation of ethical considerations in analyzing modern research designs. He focused on the awareness of potential biasness and the role of ethical dilemmas in the transparency of the findings. For validity and credibility, the ethical rigor must be present in research while dealing with behavioral sciences, Kaplan highlighted the fact that the ethical principles must be respected for inquiry and training of the behavioral scientists (Kaplan, 2017).

Gardner proposed a compelling argument for integrating the ethical considerations in the course of study and training the students. He proposed that for the development of a disciplined mind there must be adequate knowledge and the acquisition of skills, the ethical values and principles need proper cultivation in the mind of students for developing a disciplined mind. It was suggested by Gardner that for the betterment of the society there is a need of ethical education and preparation of responsible mindsets that can engage in constructive ideas. He focused on the role of school and universities and proposed a priority for the ethical education in the experience of learning (The Disciplined Mind, 2021).

The relationship between moral theory and psychology is explored by Johnson. He argues that the moral judgement of the psychological research is the main contributor in the traditional transformation of behavioral theories. The ethical frameworks can then be designed if the psychological processes consider the ethical principles for decision making and retain morality in the course of action. He also mentioned that with the help of moral psychology the gap between moral principles and decision making can be bridged easily that allows development of responsible societies (Johnson, 1996).

The exploration of history of psychology and the importance of ethics is highlighted by Lawson. He mentioned that it were not the ethical concerns that were always respected in a psychological research which often lead to exploitation of the participants as well as biased results for the questions. Therefore, Lawson proposed that ethical considerations should always be prioritized in psychological research for preventing the participants from potential harm and other unethical practices. It was also highlighted by Lawson that informed consent, briefing and confidentiality should always be present in a research model (Lawson, 2018).

Kaposi examined the significance of the testimony of John Dean in the Watergate Scandal. The critical analysis of truth, memory and the ethical implementations in the psychological domain are presented in the examination of Kaposi. It was proposed that for conducting psychological research there is a need to address the rhetoric and memory for presenting valuable insight for the research. It was presented in the article that the critical examination for rhetoric is must for shaping the collective memories of the individuals and its implication in the research (Kaposi, 2012).

The argument of “bad psychology” is presented by Grzanka and Cole. They highlighted the importance of it as a disruption in the discipline of the traditional thinking. This allows promoting social transformation. The authors also argued that the traditional psychological system was composed of oppressive systems that perpetuate inequality. The bad psychology on the other hand facilitates the change and serves for public engagement. The dominant narratives play a vital role in formulating critical reflection in this manner. The emphasis on the need to be actively involved in the moments of social justice and the priority of ethical considerations in the process of research are proposed under the scope of this study (Grzanka & Cole, 2021).

The disciplinary boundaries of the psychology are advocated for recognizing the theoretical perspectives by Slife and Willaims. As presented by the authors of this study there is a strong linkage between the critical perspectives and the fundamental assumptions to practice the concepts of psychology in research. This theoretical framework for the psychological research serves for the positive change by promotion of critical reflexivity. The ethical considerations and their role in theoretical psychology are presented for addressing the issues regarding power and privilege in discipline (Slife & Williams, 1997).

The role of psychology in political and social landscape is presented for its cultural significance in the research of Boursiquot. This facilitated in healing the colonial oppression as well as retaining the social justice in the society. The emphasis of ethical considerations is proposed in the psychological system in this research. This allowed dealing with the problems of the vulnerable populations and the existing model of inequality. He suggests that a critical and reflective approach to psychology is essential for promoting social change and addressing systemic injustices (Boursiquot, 2001).

The use of qualitative methods and their implication throughout historical perspective of psychology is presented by Wertz in his work. He advocated that these methods allow including the cultural context for the successful execution of psychological research. The author emphasizes the importance of ethical considerations in qualitative research, including issues of power and representation. Wertz suggests that a critical and reflexive approach to research is essential for ensuring that historical research is conducted in an ethical and socially responsible manner (Wertz, 2014).

The cross-disciplinary development of ethical frameworks is explored in detail by Gorman. The use of ethical frameworks and the need to consider their ethical dilemmas is emphasized by the author for integrating the design and development. Gorman suggests that collaboration between different fields, including psychology, can lead to a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of the ethical implications of emerging technologies (Gorman, 1998).

Durkheim presented the classical perspective for morality in education. Under his research he focused on the phenomena of socialization and its role for the development of moral values in an individual. The author argued that morality is not an innate property, but it is learned via social interaction and dwelling in the cultural norms of the society at large. It is also mentioned by Durkheim that the morality is an essential element for the maintenance of stability and social order between societal values and the individuals (Durkheim, 2012).

A global perspective is presented by Shiraev for the history of psychology and tracing developmental uplift of the thoughts in psychology. This allowed dealing with various practices along different cultures as well as provided a time frame approach to see the evolution of psychological thought process. The shaping of psychological theories with the help of historical and cultural context is then presented by the author for a deeper analysis of ethical dilemmas in psychology. The reflexive approach, critical representation and the shift in power depending on cross cultural context is addressed in globally for conducting ethical research (Shiraev, 2014).

Lastly, the intellectual history of psychology is presented by Robinson for tracing the development of psychological thought process as a cognitive science. Special emphasis on the evolution of psychological theories is presented in this work for dealing with different methods of psychological research. Robinson suggests that a critical and reflexive approach to history is essential for understanding the ethical implications of past and present psychological research (Robinson, 1995).

This historical perspective of the psychology presented valuable findings that played a vital role in the evolutionary process of ethical research. The paper highlighted the important concepts such as reflexivity, social responsibility, and the cross disciplined approach for the development of ethical frameworks. The critical examination of historical and cultural context can provide guidance on best practices for conducting ethical research. Furthermore, the scholars and researchers must continue with their exploration for the development of different approaches as to facilitate the values of equity, justice, and respect for human dignity.

References:

• Harris, B. (2011). Letting go of Little Albert: Disciplinary memory, history, and the uses of myth. Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences, 47(1), 1-17.

• Wong, W. C. (2009). Retracing the footsteps of Wilhelm Wundt: Explorations in the disciplinary frontiers of psychology and in Völkerpsychologie. History of Psychology, 12(4), 229.

• Vidal, F. (2011). The sciences of the soul: The early modern origins of psychology. University of Chicago Press.

• Kaplan, A. (2017). The conduct of inquiry: Methodology for behavioral science. Routledge.

• Gardner, H. (2021). Disciplined mind: What all students should understand. Simon & Schuster.

• Johnson, M. (1996). How moral psychology changes moral theory.

• Grzanka, P. R., & Cole, E. R. (2021). An argument for bad psychology: Disciplinary disruption, public engagement, and social transformation. American Psychologist, 76(8), 1334.

• Slife, B. D., & Williams, R. N. (1997). Toward a theoretical psychology: Should a subdiscipline be formally recognized?. American Psychologist, 52(2), 117.

• Boursiquot, M. U. (2001). The history of psychology and associated disciplines in Haiti. Carlos Albizu University.

• Wertz, F. J. (2014). Qualitative inquiry in the history of psychology. Qualitative Psychology, 1(1), 4.

• Gorman, M. E. (1998, June). Ethics, Invention And Design: Creating Cross Disciplinary Collaborations. In 1998 Annual Conference (pp. 3-266).

• Durkheim, E. (2012). Moral education. Courier Corporation.

• Shiraev, E. (2014). A history of psychology: A global perspective. Sage Publications.

• Robinson, D. N. (1995). An intellectual history of psychology. Univ of Wisconsin Press.

• Kaposi, D. (2012). Truth and rhetoric: The promise of John Dean's memory to the discipline of psychology. Journal for the theory of social behaviour, 42(1), 1-19.

• Lawson, I. (2018). HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY AND THE ROLE OF ETHICS IN THE DISCIPLINE. Journal of Social and Psychological Sciences, 11(1), 1C+. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A523795290/AONE?u=googlescholar&sid=googleScholar&xid=c3b3f865