Who is Forecasting Your Hope?

After getting up this morning, I looked at the temperature on my cell phone and  the screen says  it  is 33 degrees in Live Oak Florida.  It looks like the message this morning is that it is going to be one of those cold frigid days.  I guess a question I can ask this morning is how the frigid climate is going to affect life today.  While thinking about the forecast, one of the realities that I am aware of is that I cannot ignore, change, or, fix cold weather.  Nevertheless, I can detach myself from the feeling of being cold by getting under a warm blanket and create a level of comfort in my own skin, no matter how cold the weather forecast seems to project it will be.

Something learned here is that weather conditions or forecasts do not define reality inside of life; they only project conditions that as described by a point of view.  A critical issue about cold weather is not so much the temperature itself, but the sensations associated with cold –or how we feel about it.  Some people love cold weather, want to live in it, play in it, and work in it.  One reason that some people thrive in a particular climate is that they enjoy the conditions and feeling that it brings.  Thinking about this intuitively recalls the idea that there are beliefs that we have about life conditions that bring a perspective to life. If perspective is skewed by negative feelings attached to events, what is felt in the moment will distort perception about possibilities.  The result from a forecast that is felt in a given direction will influence the quality and quantity of accomplishment present and future events.

So often, it is neither the truth nor the facts about the future that motivate behaviors, it is how we feel about events and what we believe to be true –whether it is or is not true.  Apply this to presidential candidates: Whom do you feel like will be the nominee for the election process?  Most likely, your answer will reveal what you feel is true, an emotive process based on a believed precept, accepted to be true from the forecast that heard.  Then, it is true that felt perception influences beliefs predicting how behavior demonstrates in actions.  A good exercise in intuition is to ask; what does behavior say about t individual –core beliefs held to be true?

So, how did I get from weather to presidential politics?  It is not the forecast that is so important. It is what we feel to be true that determines held-beliefs about the information seen and heard about presidential candidates in 2012.  A truth contained here is that this can be a cold year or a warm year. However, a reality follows is that we can have success in the cold or it can be a warm and seasonal year of prosperity.  The difference is in how we feel about what we hear in the forecasts, how we feel about that, and what actions result.

Consider a biblical example. In the first chapter of Nehemiah, consider two different perspectives.  First, look at the perspective of the people who reported to him.  Their lived experience was pain, destruction, and ruin.  They saw the city in ruins; Nehemiah saw a city with potential to be great again.  The application comes like this; felt-experience does determine a point of view.  A perception that shows not only deeply felt belief, but also the important and powerful impact of how what we believe shapes response to life-events.

Nehemiah’s perspective reveals a point of view that communicates that even though there was a negative forecast causing grief, he made the choice to detached himself from the painful emotional consequences in order embrace potential in what could be by embracing a future beyond the forecast, beyond the pain, and beyond the distorted forecast painted by negative circumstances.  A point that well taken is that deeply held beliefs will shape reality into lived-experience today

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Hope as the Pathway and Agency for Success in Any Venture

Hope is What We Express About Life That is a Bridge To The Future

The ability to express hope through challenging circumstances is an essential element to create success in the ventures of life.  Expressing hope is the act of building a bridge that over circumstances–opposition paving a way to desirable outcome in the future.  Almost everyone is concerned about effectiveness– how to find success in life that creates the momentum to get where we want to arrive. many available studies support the assumption that hope is a key component that distinguishes how well an individual navigates through challenges. Therefore, the influence of hope upon life can be measured in qualitative terms that relate to physical health, higher academic functioning, interpersonal functioning, athletic performance, psychosocial adjustment, capacity for self-regulation, and superior ability to face and overcome obstacles.  On the other hand a lack of hope can be connected to individuals being easily confused by obstacles, avoidant, ineffectiveness and the absence of  heartiness through life challenges. When factors are considered about why some people succeed and why others do not, there may be many factors contributing to success, but the single mitigating factor that empowers success– even when other deficiencies exist– is the presence of hope.

An effort to define hope might provide some insight about what it is, what it does, and how it is expressed. Some common definitions of hope are to wish for something with expectation of its fulfillment, or to have confidence; trust, to look forward to with confidence or expectation. In life, we hope that our children will be successful, the sun will shine, and that everything will always work out. The theological virtue defined as the desire and search for a future good, difficult but not impossible to attain with God‘s help.  The idea of hope in general terms is an expectation that motivates life in the present with a belief that the future hold possibility that can be achieved.   Hope is a way of expressing life that builds a bridge to the future.

In the Christian approach to hope a Biblical definition of hope is “confident expectation.”  Hope is a firm assurance regarding things that are unclear and unknown (Romans 8:24-25; Hebrews 11:1,7).  Christians believe that hope in the present and in the future is a confident expectation that is based in essential beliefs about God and His oversight, involvement, and control over what happens in life.  For Christians, who understand the basis of their beliefs,  hope is an essential ingredient in the life expressed upward toward God and outward toward goals (Proverbs 23:18) . In times of distress, when faced with despair and loss, there are situations where life loses its essential meaning  and zest (Lamentations 3:18, Job 7:6). When faced with death and times when  there is no apparent hope (Isaiah 38:18, Job 17:15), Christian hope supplies a way of organizing belief into confident expectation that those who put their hope in God will receive assistance(Psalm 28:7).  Therefore, Christians believe, and will not be perplexed, put to shame in their hope (Isaiah 49:23), and will be vindicated as they place hopeful expectation in God.  As a result,  hope and belief is a general attitude of confidence in God’s protection– help (Jeremiah 29:11).  Therefore, hope frees Christians from fear and anxiety (Psalm 46:2-3).  Christian hope is based upon beliefs and assumptions about, God, good and evil, life, eternity and life in the present.  Hope provides momentum to live with expectation that God is guiding what is happening to a positive outcome.

One issue of interest is how hope energizes and infuses life with momentum to move ahead. Hope provides a clear way that can reduce the power of obstacles to disable supplying an attitude that enables reaching forward with a belief that success is attainable.  As a result, attention is drawn to how hope can be increased in how an individual approaches life.  Is there a road to happiness and a set point that can be achieved that happiness can be measured, believed to be normative as a maxim?  An equally important issue to understand is that a state of happiness is a subjective condition.  If someone asked you to describe happiness what would the story contain for you?

Research has shown that automatic assumptions of happiness are often incorrect.  Often hope and happiness are associated with feeling good about what is occurring.  In fact, what is true is that people who feel good in certain circumstances, like winning the lottery, actually become unhappy, dissatisfied and loose hope in life.  Carl Maslow illustrated that people feel a better sense of well-being when they have basic survival needs met rather than monetary gain.  Lifestyle always rises to the level of income and beyond and what happens is that possessions or positions in life do not seem to bring happiness and hope.  People get on the hedonistic treadmill trying to find happiness and gain hope but, “the abundance of life is not in the things we possess” (Jesus).  Often people assume that happiness and having hope is a result of what happens to people in life.  However, it is not what happens to people; it’s how they construct and interpret those events, it is how you mindfully experience those events.

A key to hope, a road to happiness is emotional well-being.  People who have hope in life and experience emotional well being are people who are virtually engaged in life– grounded in meaning and purpose in life.  To be happy, to have hope means being fully involved with every detail of life.  A life driven by purpose, calling, a sense of belonging and fitting where you are is critical to feeling positive about what is taking place in existence.  When people are fully engaged in life with a sense of fitting, belonging– owning a place in life– engaging in positive relationships, then attention redirects our energy away from negatives which are destructive, limiting, defeating activity that drain vitality from life.  You may have heard the expression, “time flies when you are having fun.”  Another way to understand this is a state of grace, a “flow state.”  The experience of flow happens when you are able to be completely caught up in what you are doing and time flies.

Meeting the challenges of life with hope increases the flow of life that sets an expectation that sees a life that has possibilities, even when faced with extreme opposition.  What occurs in the hope transaction is that alternative routes to reach outcome are discovered, then implemented through pathways thinking.  “Pathways thinking” means that when the first route you try is blocked, you can produce alternative routes to get to a destination by thinking flexibly and are able to change course as needed. A challenge faced when attempting to cultivate an increased hope is to how to cultivate thinking patterns that connect to alternatives rather than boxed in solutions. A principle  of hope is that hope is a learned experience as well as a motivational feeling experienced, which indicates that hope both a phenomenon and a mindset.

Hope is embraced as a principle in thinking when hope has agency.  “Agency thinking”  is thinking with efficacious belief, a sense,  that the desired goal can be reached.  Borrowing from a Biblical principle in Hebrews 11:1; “faith” in Christian thinking is stirred by reciting, vividly recalling successful ventures of faith in the past.  The “evidence of things hoped for”  is in the record of those who have the story of success presented in a history of belief.  Individuals who spend their time reciting their failures or being reminded constantly of failure are not likely to accomplish much.  However, when there is a sense of agency and belief is cultivated through celebrating success and failure jointly (on the road to success), then high hope can be instilled that enables accomplishment.

One thing that is for sure in life is that there are always people who can convincingly tell you why you cannot succeed. However when you want to succeed, a bridge to the future must be constructed with faith, hope, and belief and it needs to begin today, without delay.

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Manipulation: Who is Ringing Your Bell?

The funny thing about human behavior is that while people think they are in control of their experiments at manipulating behavior, it may actually  be the other way around. Some people pride themselves with feeling that they are always in control knowing exactly what is going to happen, massaging everyone and everything, to get a response that meets a person goal– need. However, before victory is declared, take a look at things from the dogs perspective.  The dog, also, believes that he is in control because he has learned that if he will just do what is expected that Pavlov will respond– he gets what he wants.  Something to think about today is who is manipulating who?  In a system, group of people, everyone gets some benefit from the bell ringing, the question is who or what is ringing your bell? That is the control….

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Ethics: What is the Role of Ethical Standards?

Morse Code: A Standard for Communicating to Others.

A recent news report by KENS 5, San Antonio Texas says, San Antonio council woman Jennifer Ramos is speaking out about the ethics rule she has been accused of breaking. An ethics review board found that Ramos violated a section of the ethics code by using city computers to email her then-employer, the WellMed Charitable Foundation. But the board agreed to dismiss the most damaging allegation, reporting there’s no proof she used her position to unfairly advance the interests of WellMed (Kens 5 San Antonio). What is apparent from the report is a potential for ethical dilemmas that are a common to the daily business of life.

A good question to pose is: what is the role that ethical standards should play in a professional capacity being served? Like politicians and other professionals, psychology professionals are faced with a challenge to provide competent-ethical services. A point of view about standards is that, “ethical codes provide normative ethical expectations that apply to all members of a profession” (Ford, 2006, p. 1). Further understanding of what an ethical standard does is expressed in greater description indicating at least 4 reasons for developing ethical standards: [1.] To clarify their sense of professional identity by distinguishing themselves from those practicing other professions and occupations. [2.] An ethical code is a way of communicating to students and practitioners of the profession the basic principles, ideals, and interests of the profession. [3.] To address questions and problems relating to ethical matters. [4.] Establishes standards of professional conduct that provide specific behavioral guidelines that provide specific behavioral guidelines and serve to sensitize all members of the profession to ethical issues involved in the practice of the profession (Ford, 2006, p. 4)

A point taken from these reasons is that the objectives fulfilled in a code of ethics are, “to educate professionals about sound ethical conduct … provides a mechanism for professional accountability … serve as a catalyst for improving practice (Corey, Corey, & Callanan, 2009, p. 8). In addition to the internal component of the code of ethics that relates to the professional practicing, the overarching theme for the code of ethics serves the function “to safeguard the welfare of the client by providing what is in their best interest (p. 8). Therefore, standards provide an information base that educates a logical process in decision making. Ethical standards provide an objective standard for evaluation of specific areas of potential conflict.

The role that ethical standards ethical codes play in decision making is to enable a bi-directional process of induction and deduction. A code is not designed to discourage intuitive ethical judgments but to enable a process where thinking and reasoning can be applied and critical-evaluative ethical judgments can be made with a dependable basis (Welfel, 2006, pp. 20-21).

As a result the process that the code puts in place is an analytical reasoning process in which decisions must be formulated in a particular construct to enable a response. What can happen is that, “it will enable professionals to differentiate contexts involving multiple, or competing, ethical considerations from those that are less complex…[and] provide a template of steps professionals can take to resolve complex ethical issues in a rational manner” (pp. 82-83).

In the case of the council woman’s ethical dilemma, “the board agreed to dismiss the most damaging allegation, reporting there’s no proof she used her position to unfairly advance the interests of WellMed. Ramos said she’s pleased with the outcome, but the issue needs to be addressed” (Kens 5 San Antonio) providing a reasonable way that a decision could be made between competing interests.

Consequently, development of professional codes of ethics provides a substantive basis for decision making which provides guidance in what is expected of professionals and what is acceptable responses to problems which arise.

References

Corey, G., Corey, M. S., & Callanan, P. (2009). Isssues and Ethics in the Helping Profession (7th ed.). Belmont, CA, USA: Brooks/Cole. Ford, G. (2006). Ethical reasoning for mental health professionals. Thousand Oaks, California, USA: Sage Publications.

Kens 5 San Antonio. (n.d.). Retrieved April 7, 2011, from Kens 5.com: http://www.kens5.com/news/Councilwoman-speaks-out-about-lessons-learned-from-ethics-violation-119289394.html Welfel, E. R. (2006).

Ethics in counseling & psychotherapy (3rd ed.). Belmont, California, USA: Thomas Higher Education.

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What is Most Important?

The most important thing not obvious in the heat of life; creating urgency in the moment is not what people fret about, nor what is possessed, certainly, it is what is absent–what is needed to filled the emptiness of pressing, unmet emotional needs to bring focus clarity, and peace.  (RLM)

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Spirituality Under Review: What is Influencing Contemporary Perceptions about Spirituality?

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Hegel Antithesis into Synthesis

In Christianity Today (2005) in an article Eugene Peterson was interviewed about spiritual meaning and the question was asked of him, “What is the most misunderstood aspect of spirituality” (Galli, p. 43). As I was reading , what stood out is one of the core issues in spiritual thought today. The profound misunderstanding about what it means in 2011 to be spiritual person. A closely related question that is important is why do people believe the way they do about spirituality?

My research takes me to one source of understanding contained in the research by Warren S. Goldstein (2009),  who cites a “A landmark article written by R. Stephen Warner in 1993 in The American Journal of Sociology, [who] argued that a new paradigm was emerging in the sociology of religion. His article marked a paradigm shift in sociology of religion between the old and the new, between those who advocate the theory of secularization and those who reject it” (p. 157) These findings draw attention to conflicting ideologies which are important to the field of psychology, sociology, and theology by discussing how, “A dialectical understanding helps make sense of how secularization and sacralization can occur at the same time” (p.157).  Whether or not there is agreement with the approach, what is important is the conclusions that are discovered.

What are the major themes that are included in the argument for a working theory of spirituality in modern culture?

Today, I was thinking about problem solving approaches and the thought came to me that to understand what is occurring a problem must be exegeted. One apparent truth is that there are profound areas of disagreement that are rooted in ways of reason that are not new, but are influencing how spirituality is defined. What is evident from analysis is that there are at least four philosophical influences—approaches to thinking that are impacting how spirituality is being externalized into identifiable constructs in American culture.

Dialectical Processing of Spiritual Ideals: In the field of psychology and sociology this is a common approach used to understand an issue and synthesizing a point of view. The term, dialectic, was first used by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel to describe the development of changing historical periods and social revolutions. … A dialectic process involves three stages: thesis, antithesis, and synthesis. In the first stage, a particular idea or set of ideas (thesis) exists that is commonly accepted by most people. In the second stage, a new idea or set of ideas that is contrary to the first (an antithesis) is introduced. The introduction of the antithesis causes conflict as the thesis and antithesis are debated. In the final stage, the thesis and antithesis are synthesized to produce a new idea or set of ideas (the synthesis) that then becomes the commonly accepted thesis (Dialectic, 2001).  This process of reasoning describes understanding in a progression of thought—where new, better supported, contextually relative ideals replace older which demonstrate a progression of thought.

This is demonstrated a shift in thinking in religious-spiritual thought which takes the original hypothesis using collective reasoning from different understandings—beliefs about spirituality utilizing empiricism—science, and induction from  culture synthesizing a point of view as the new norm.

Cultural relativism: which is based upon the assumptions that people acquire most of their personal values from their culture and that values from their culture and normative behavioral expectations vary from one culture to the next” (Ford, 2006, p. p. 70).  Cultural relativism indicates a shift in where definition of concepts, principles of reasoning, and a source of authority for determining what constitutes normal within a culture, group, or individuals.

This can be observed in how particular groups take an understanding of spirituality and attempt to superimpose it upon the masses using culture relativity as a basis for authority.

Logical Positivism: a method of reasoning –its distinctive feature an attempt to develop and systematize empiricism with the aid of the conceptual equipment furnished by modern research methodology.

With emphasis upon the verifiability principle i.e., any procedure carried out to determine whether a statement is true or false or verified by the method of scientific research used.  The meaning of what is trying to be proved is contained in the method of its verification, that is in whatever observations or experiences show, whether or not it is true. If the method used ads up and the logical processes used are consistent with all observations, they are admitted as meaningful: verifiable by method of research.

Logical positivism is an approach–explaining the meanings of terms, but telling us nothing about how things are in the world. Therefore, what is unverifiable using the empiricism methodology employed is deemed unverifiable by any observation and is ipso facto devoid of meaning.

This verifiability principle is the basis of logical positivism’s attack on theology and metaphysics; its characteristic propositions (about the creation of the world, the nature of reality as a whole, etc.) being thus unverifiable, are neither true nor false, but simply meaningless.

Therefore, all arguments either for or against them are equally pointless. At best, the (pseudo-) propositions of metaphysics, like those of ethics or aesthetics, can be allowed to function as expressions of emotional attitudes, as slogans or exclamations rather than statements of fact (Logical, 2002).  This is demonstrated in a movement away from defining terminology and meaning within spirituality with the use of theology, philosophy, or finding meaning in exegesis which makes a systemized empirical method the locus of verifiability as opposed to biblical texts, linguistics, philosophy, or historical data.

Therefore, what is spiritual is verifiable in experience as the methodology, not in an absolute truth of Biblical truth, philosophy, or historical, exegetical study—which is devoid of meaning.

Post Modernism: refers to the crisis of authority of modern culture from the 1960s. Post-modernism, as a way of thinking, points to the culture of a media-saturated consumer society where media images have become more real than lived reality.

In philosophy and social science, post-modernism is associated with the collapse of grand narratives of historical progress, scientific rationality universal ethics and individual identity.

Post-modern social science presents multiple ethical viewpoints, and humans with multiple, shifting identities. Post-modernism may be a shallow consumer culture or the possibility of new identities and new politics  (post-modernism, 2002).

A conclusion about the greatest misunderstand is that spirituality is under construction, modification and syntheses, but more needs to be written in another post.  The real question is, in the understanding that you have of spirituality what is affecting what is believed to be true?

References

Dialectic. (2001). In World of Sociology, Gale. Retrieved March 30, 2011, from Credo Reference: Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com.library.capella.edu/entry/worldsocs/dialectic

Ford, G. (2006). Ethical reasoning for mental health professionals. Thousand Oaks, California, USA: Sage Publications.

Galli, M. (2005, March). Spirituality for All the Wrong Reasons. Christianity Today , 49 (3), pp. 42-48. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Goldstein, W. S. (2009). Secularization Patterns in the Old Paradigm. [electronic version]. Sociology of Religion , 70 (2), 157-178. Retrieved from EBSCOhost March 25, 2011.

Logical, p. (2002). In A Dictionary of Philosophy, Mcmillan. Retrieved 30 2011, March, from Credo reference: http://www.credoreference.com.library.capella.edu/entry/macdphil/logical_positivism

post-modernism. (2002). In International Encyclopedia of Environmental Politics. Retrieved March 30, 2011, from Credo Reference: Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com.library.capella.edu/entry/routenvpol/post_modernism

Key Words:Idealism, Utilitarianism, Relativism, Logical-Positivism, Post-modernism, Multiculturalism, Pessimism, Skepticism.

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Ethics and Recruiting Business: The Problem of Using Invalid Research

The Supreme Court

A n I/O psychologist working as a personnel consultant for a local industry has success in  success in recruiting new business for a consulting practice presents the work being done a presents the report of positive changes in employee retention for companies using the approaches that are being used by the consultant to achieve ROI and understands that business people are with numbers and promotes the approach without scientifically validated research, what ethical problems may potentially create an ethical dilemma?

Problem Identification

Advertising Service within the Boundaries of Competence.

The idea of a psychology professional promoting, advertising, making claims of outcome based upon a particular modality—treatment has the flavor of a multi-level marketing strategy. It raises the question about what is appropriate in making a presentation to a prospective organization seeking services from an I/O psychologist.

What are the issue at stake when promoting services that are within the bounds of competency and professional ethic? The specific area that the example calls to attention is how an organizational consulting psychology practitioner represents professional services offered.  One specific issue which is an underlying consideration is, Principle C: Integrity (Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct 2010) which addresses a Kantian maxim (Ford p.63) which could be express as a self evident truth in the practice of personnel psychology. Therefore, it should be rationally understood that honesty, integrity, and using deceptive practices to enhance business are clearly a breach of ethical practice, but has occurred in the case example.

The question of how to address the issue is the question that is the object of interest in a resolution of the matter of what has happened.  One answer to address how to respond to the dilemma is inherent within the problem solving approach and code of ethic for psychologist.  Maybe, a more important issue is how to prevent unethical breaches might be better addressed by appealing by giving consideration to, 2.01 Boundaries of Competence (Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct 2010) in how practitioners are provided professional training.

Problem Focus

Competence in Connecting Research to Scientifically Validated Outcomes.

The code is specific in directing attention to the fact that, “Psychologists provide services, teach, and conduct research with populations and in areas only within the boundaries of their competence, based on their education, training, supervised experience, consultation, study, or professional experience” (Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct 2010).  If a reverse outline were constructed of the case example, what would be demonstrated is the use of invalid research statistics used to enhance the ability of the instruments used by the practitioner to achieve results in “employee retention” (Ford p. 193) has no empirical basis.

The fact that this information is used in a spurious manner is an indication of either intentional dishonest, or simply not understanding the ethical implications of how research data is to used in an ethical manner.  A rationale for understanding what should be done is expressed in Evidence Based on Test Content, “ Important evidence can be obtained from an analysis between a test’s content and the construct it is intended to measure” (2008, p. 11). As well as using evidence based testing approaches, a level of competency should be evident in post graduate certification to administer and interpret test results.

Process Rationale

Focusing on Competencies Rather than Idealology.

Therefore, to address the particular dilemma indicates that psychologist that work as consultant necessitates developing the ability necessary for problem solving by:

focusing on competencies or “end states,” rather than specific course work requirements to be included in an academic curriculum, the developers of the Principles have acknowledged the reality that competence in any given area may be achieved through a variety of avenues, such as course work, supervised practice, apprenticeships, or seminars and workshops, to name but a few (Fuqua).

Consequently, identifying the ethical problems and developing outcomes that will bring the necessary competency will require the practicing psychology consultant to submit to a competency development process that builds upon existing expertise through restricting activity to areas of competency and developing areas that require expertise prior to representing service outcomes.

References

Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct 2010. (n.d.). Retrieved August 29, 2010, from Amercan Psychological Association: http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx

Ford, G. (2006). Ethical reasoning for mental health professionals. Thousand Oaks, California, USA: Sage Publications.

Fuqua, D. &. Academic perspectives on the principles for training in consulting psychology. . Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research , 54 (4), 223-232. doi:10.1037/1061-4087.54.4.223.

Standards for educational and psychological testing. (2008). Washington, D.C., USA: American Educational Research Association.

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What the Trends in Social Networking Reviews Suggests: Identity Crisis and Confusion

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What impact is social media, networking having upon relationships? The question is simple and the answers given are loaded with different opinions. Relationships are at the core of the discussion and reveal changing perceptions and an emergent paradigm developing. A quick Google search will reveal pages of links to web pages that offer opinions and suggestions.

Business is integrated into social relationship creating potential questions about efficacy in mixing business and pleasure. In a recent blog on Harvard Business Review , Jodi Glickman notes that young adults in the workplace are abandoning emails and moving toward social media as one of their primary modes of communication, Because social media is so, well, social, the lines are becoming increasingly blurred between business and personal matters. ( Thom Rainer) An important part of the question is connected with a sense of self, identity, and role expectations.

The shifting reliance upon social media and networking sites raises an important question about how we understand relationships and utilize boundaries in regulating relationships to create effective outcome in life. An answer to the question about measurable impact upon relationships that it is good, but also bad. Social media has become so commonplace many have a hard time even thinking how they’d live without it. “We’re getting reliant on Facebook to keep us updated,” said Malia Griggs, editor of the University of South Carolina‘s student magazine. Griggs wrote an article last year taking a satirical jab at how Facebook is changing the way we communicate. Personal relationships, she says, are now a matter of public discourse. “It’s less personal its less between you and that person, now there’s room for others to come in and comment on it,” said Griggs. “There’s a lot more room for feedback from your friends and people who aren’t even your close friends.” You can tap into it anywhere, anytime — an online existence so vast and absorbing, most offices have policies against it. Malia Griggs The impact upon the business-relationship dichotomy has paradoxical implications: While on the one hand enhancing market presence, providing technological convenience, a constant Internet “Brand” which is identifiable and available, at the same time blurring the lines between professional and personal identity. Potential danger is identified by Glickman (2011) in Harvard Business Review who said that, “with technological interchangeability comes risk—maintaining relationships with friends with whom you do business and keeping business out of the realm of your friendships.” This observation identifies questions about how and what will define relationships as well as what principles govern what is appropriate in each context.

There is a wealth of information that shows how relationships, networking, and connection have upon business. However how can you know when, “friendliness has become a liability” (Glickman)? One good sign is when what occurs in the private world is so indistinct that there not a clear understanding of how professional identity is different from personal identity. Private problems on public networks bring people into your personal life that may not be anticipated or wanted. Attorney David Shea said that “In divorce cases, it’s amazing how often we use this now … We’re on Facebook several times a day.”( Shea)

Private problems become public matters affecting, not only the perception that people have, but it has an  impact upon effectiveness that can make or break a career, a marriage–your life. Everyone needs good friends, but a missing boundary that is important is privacy: everyone does not have the right to know everything about you– ask whatever they want, especially about deeply personal matters that may prejudice perception when shared.

Two good points to be made are: Collaboration is Critical and Relationships are Important. ( Thom Rainer) However, there must be fundamental balance discovered about what boundaries should characterize the shifting emphasis from a solo voice to group voice—individual identity and group identity. Social networking is not going away and is certainly the most effective immutable principle that will predict life or death in the business world today. More research needs to be done and greater understanding gained will be integral to creating responsibility and balance that says about social networking, “I choose to learn from it and make the best of it’ (Rainer).

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Ethics, Consulting, Fees and Billing: The Problem of Unexpected Expenses

An I/O consultant providing consultation services looks at consulting proposal and gives an estimate of services to be provided based upon a careful analysis of time and resources required to complete the company’s employment recruiting program.  However, after the initial interview with the HR staff, it is discovered that the process will be much more labor intensive than had been projected.  Feeling that it would be unethical to submit a bill for an amount to cover additional cost, the decision is made to absorb the cost. (Ford, 2006, p. 199)

Analyzing key ethical principles of the case that raises important questions about financial benefit that might impinge upon decision making and poses the question about what constitutes ethical behavior within a consulting role in this situation. This example presents a common problem that consultants might be faced with and presents a challenge to identify what issues are of concern and understand what the correct course of response may be when unexpected issues have an impact upon fees increasing.  How can the problem should be handled ethically?

The problem

The problem that is presented is whether it is ethical to change payment or billing amounts after discovering that a situation in a consult is more complicated after the fact. Narrowing the problem to an identifiable question redirects attention to asking what the code of ethics says about payment for services: 6.04 Fees and Financial Arrangements which states, “(a) As early as is feasible in a professional or scientific relationship, psychologists and recipients of psychological services reach an agreement specifying compensation and billing arrangements” (Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct 2010).  One fundamental problem that is not answered in the study is whether or not informed consent is a part of the financial agreement for services. In 10.01 Informed Consent to Therapy, the stipulation is made that:

(a) psychologists inform clients/patients as early as is feasible in the therapeutic relationship about the nature and anticipated course of therapy, fees, involvement of third parties, and limits of confidentiality and provide sufficient opportunity for the client/patient to ask questions and receive answers (Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct 2010).

As a result to make a decision, hypothetically there needs to be a Q&A with the consultant to determine if informed consent has been used and has the terms and course of the services for therapeutic services been accurately developed, presented, and an opportunity to a proposed plan of treatment to be executed.  A further problem that seems to be present is that only an estimation of anticipated cost has been given which may point to a competency issue in analysis of proposed services.

A Process

A recommendation that might prevent this situation is to make an attempt to be as thorough as possible in the preparation of informed consent documents that represent as accurately as possible the scope and terms of services rendered.  Another approach is to use an open clause in the process that stipulates what is understood to be a reasonable course of action and a disclaimer which allows the informed consent to have an addendum to services based upon research findings.  In the event that services are beyond reasonable limits for a client, then the practitioner has to make a value decision in how to proceed with consulting responsibilities.  In a question of feasibility of service, one question is centered in the general Principle B: Fidelity and Responsibility and Principle C: Integrity that may demonstrate a potential conflict in the Principle A: Beneficence and Nonmaleficence (Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct 2010). Consequently, a decision must be evaluated in respect to the matter of whether the services offered can be provided at an optimum level that guards the principle of doing no harm, while providing services for the agreed terms.

References

Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct 2010. (n.d.). Retrieved August 29, 2010, from Amercan Psychological Association: http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx

Ford, G. (2006). Ethical reasoning for mental health professionals. Thousand Oaks, California, USA: Sage Publications.

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Ethics, Theory Construction, and Compliance

Cover of The APA Dictionary of Psychology

Ethics and Compliance

The APA Dictionary of Psychology (2007) defines the IRB as the, “abbreviation for INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD” (VandenBos) which quite honestly was not a term in my vocabulary before I began the PhD program. As it relates to the content area of  research in multicultural ethics, Ford (2006) establishes a connection between Ethics, Values, and Theory Construction, by stating, “Behavioral research is generally conducted to test specific hypothesis arising from psychological theories” which posits a corollary construct between what has been written in theory to what is done in practice for researchers. Therefore, and assumption is made that compliance lies somewhere between the theoretical didache of research and the utility found in the real life experience of practice.

One of the challenges that can be identified in the work of researchers is balance.  In a psychological research program the task is is to find common ground for the work of research within the ethical constructs of acceptable ethical principles is found in ethical codes, philosophical assumptions, and application of acceptable norms. Therefore, there are principles to guide the work of ethical research. The principles found in the code of ethics reflect generally accepted and identifiable area where violations can be possible.  Within the principles there are philosophical assumption that are expressed in way principle address concerns.  The intent is to speak to the needs of people who are made of diverse populations and cultural representations  Principles inform problem solving approaches with information to clarify reason and develop approaches to clarify what “should”or “ought” to be done in resolving a conflict.  The defining task is to identify the challenge and provide an assumptive reasoning that describes a process that is indicated; given that all things are equal in a perfect world.  The process describes the fundamental thinking process that guide understanding involved which calls attention to an underlying area of competence for psychological research, expressed in a design resolve a conflict.  Therefore, what is contained in a formula for response declares the basic principles that are a concerned couple with assumptions about how value is expressed in rank of importance i.e., the code of ethics, meaning, and intent of the ethical code.  In addition, the theoretical connection of what research means to the study of psychology is also firmly established in being able to understand, articulate, and connect the philosophical assumptions that inform ethical decisions in a reflective process that connects the philosophy to the lived experience of the researcher in psychology.  Ford (2006) describes the impact of the process upon the outcome of research by saying, “Researcher’s personal values might affect not only what issues they study, but also how they evaluate the evidence (i.e., data) they obtain” (p. 222)  As a result, the challenge can be understood in a development of a response that is informed not only by principles of facts, but also by the dynamic relationship of a developing interaction of the person and values of the researcher upon the object and persons involved in research. Ultimately, the buck must stop somewhere in decision making and that is where the determination is made to determine what is acceptable.  In Ford (2006), suitable standards are decided by, the IRB [who] is the official entity that reviews research proposals involving human participants to determine whether the studies are ethically acceptable” (223).  Therefore, the challenge that is present for researchers is to maintain diligence in understanding, evaluation, and application of acceptable, normative approaches to guarantee that participants are not endangered or harmed in the implementation of research in the practice of psychological inquiry.

The challenge of psychologists in maintaining fidelity to the principle of Principle A: Beneficence and Nonmaleficence (Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct 2010) is how to respond with a meaningful thoughtful method of evaluating a broad range of possible ethical area of concern.  The principle places emphasis upon a need to utilize a thought process that utilizes a provisional review process that focuses upon principle, process, and potential.  An important component to the research done by psychologist is to engage in research that is based in a scientific validation process  which establishes empirical credibility to research.  In addition having a theoretical approach to validate ethical balance, provides a foundation that enhances evidence based approach to the methodology in the work of research. This can is realized within populations, groups, or individual to whom measuring risk is a very subjective process. Therefore, because there are times when ethical responses are difficult to measure, “researchers (and IRB’s) have an ethical obligation to calibrate the standards that will qualify a ‘minimal risk’” (225) which places a process in hand that goes beyond principle, philosophy and personal values, to a consensus of ideas and opinion which adds validity to apply what is known, understood and believed into a cogent and reasonable argument that is well supported.

What is observable and knowable about Ethics, theory construction, and compliance is that the code of ethics does in deed provide principle that can address a significant number of ethical concern, philosophical systems of thought can provide a rationale for decision making, but compliance is not always a clearly defined issue when dealing with areas that the code and philosophies do not adequately address to protect participants from harm.  So the value that is offered by the IRB is that it adds another voice that is constructed of expertise in the field of research that can ask the questions that can provide substantive consideration to what is in the best interest of research among psychology professionals

References

Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct 2010. (n.d.). Retrieved August 29, 2010, from Amercan Psychological Association: http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx

Ford, G. (2006). Ethical reasoning for mental health professionals. Thousand Oaks, California, USA: Sage Publications.

VandenBos, G. R. (Ed.). (2007). APA dictionary of psychology. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

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