Explicit Ambiguity: The 1992 Ethics Code as an Oxymoron

Abstract

The author reviews the major themes emerging from commentators' reactions to the 1992 American Psychological Association ethics code and presents his own views as well. Commentators agreed that the 1992 code is improved by its increased breadth and specific attention to important issues not addressed in the previous code but criticized the code for its lack of clarity, its rampant qualifying language, and for seeming to protect the profession rather than the public. The author, finding the code overly long, detailed, and lawyered, recommends that those who revise the code in the 21st century adhere more closely to fundamental moral principles.