Simplify the explanation in the following paragraphs: A system of ethics is a set of “standards governing the conduct of a person or the members of a profession” (American Heritage Dictionary, 1992, p. 630). As members of the profession of psychology, researchers are obligated to follow the code of ethics established by the APA. When conducting research in psychology, our ethical obligations encompass several areas. Research psychologists must (a) treat human research participants with respect and in a way that maintains their rights and dignity, (b) care for the welfare of animals when they are the subjects of research, and (c) be scrupulously honest in the treatment of data. This chapter will examine each of these broad topics. ... Over the years, the APA ethics code has been revised several times, most recently in 2002. It currently includes a set of 5 general principles and 89 standards, the latter clustered into the 10 general categories. The general principles are “aspirational” in their intent, designed to “guide and inspire psychologists toward the very highest ideals of the profession” (APA, 2002, p. 1062), while the standards establish specific rules of conduct and provide the basis for any charges of unethical conduct.2 The entire APA code can be found online at www.apa.org/ethics/code/

