Ethical Decision Making Models in Context:A Cross Cultural Case Study

CCPA 2013 Annual ConferenceHalifax

17 May 2013

Dr Judi L Malone, CCC, Registered Psychologist (AB & AUS)

This Session…Cross Cultural Case Scenario

Ethical Decision Making

Moral Development

Social Constructionism

Virtue Ethics

Relational Ethics

Personal Contexts of Practice CCPA MALONE Ethical Decision Making 2

Cross Cultural Case Scenario

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Case ScenarioWorking in Cree communities I have been commonly introduced as a “friend” by my clients. I do not correct clients or ask them not to introduce me in this way.

Todays’ Collective Purpose – collaborate & reflect on this cultural case study & your own context of practice

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Ethical Decision Making Your Ethical Decision Making Framework:

• Considers complexity

• Incorporates your values & beliefs

• Respects client needs & norms

• Relevant to the social content

• Continually evolvingCCPA MALONE Ethical Decision Making 5

Ethical Decision Making

Ethical Codes

Community Consensus

Regulations

Legal Boundaries

Peer Consultatio

n

Professional

Consensus

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Neurocognitive Research

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Ethical Decision Making Process:

• Reasoned Analysis

• Intuition

• Retrospection

CCPA Code…A10. Sensitivity to Diversity

B8. Dual Relationships

B9. Respecting Diversity

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Code-Specific Ethical Decisions CCPA Process of Ethical Decision Making

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Principle Based

Virtue Based

Quick Check

Principle-Based Ethical Decision-Making

Key Ethical Issuesfor this Situation

Ask Yourself

Relevant ethical articles?

Most important ethical principles?

Application? Conflict? Potential risks & benefits?

My feelings & intuitions? 

Most helpful plan of action?

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Virtue Based Ethical Decision Making

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Counsellors are motivated to be virtuous & caringbecause it is the right thing to do

Emotions? Intuition? Values?

Impact? Decisions?

Quick Check

• Want this announced?

Publicity

• Same decision?

• Every counsellor?

Universality • Everyone

treated fairly?

Justice

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Peer Collaboration

Using the CCPA Process of Ethical Decision Making, how should you handle being introduced as “friend” in this particular community (practice context)?

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Moral Development

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Peer Collaboration

From a Moral Development Perspective, how should you handle being introduced as “friend” in this particular community (practice context)?

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My Reflections…“It is my personal judgment that the subtle

difference between friendship in a non-

professional context & this construct of

“friendship” is also understood by many in

this Cree culture & does not represent a

boundary violation.”

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Social Constructionism

Emphasis on the Social Context of the Decision

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Character

Responsible

Reflexive

Interdependent

Peer Collaboration

From a Social Constructionism Perspective, how should you handle being introduced as “friend” in this particular community (practice context)?

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My Reflections…“I must consider the influence of my

relationship with the larger Cree culture &

the community within which I practice.…I

have come to understand that it would be a

cultural & social faux-pas to correct

someone who introduces me as a friend or

to ask them not to”CCPA MALONE Ethical Decision Making 19

Virtue Ethics

Benevolence

Cultural sensitivity

Respectfulness

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BEING

Embody

Morality

Wisdom

Mores

Context

Peer Collaboration

From a Virtue Ethics Perspective, how should you handle being introduced as “friend” in this particular community (practice context)?

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My Reflections…“This is a community that, like many

Aboriginal communities, has great distrust

of non-Aboriginal professionals who are

deemed to be “outsiders” and who do not

understand or value the Cree culture.…I

accept that it is appropriate to be

introduced as a friend in that context and

essential that I respect their culture and

norms”

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Relational Ethics

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Engagement

Counsellor Role

Context

Respect

Interdependent

Peer Collaboration

From a Relational Ethics Perspective, how should you handle being introduced as “friend” in this particular community (practice context)?

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My Reflections…“Relational ethics would require me to

consider my level of engagement with this

client and to respond to this introduction

authentically…. In this community, the

culture supports an interdependent

environment”

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Personal Contexts & Practice

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Code-Specific

Moral Develop-

ment

Social Constru

ct-ionism

Virtue Ethics

Relational Ethics

Thank you for your sharing

Dr Judi L MaloneCertified Canadian Counsellor

Registered Psychologist, Alberta, Canada/AustraliaRegistered Health Service Psychologist (Canada)

judim@athabascau.ca