Decolonising Psychology: Ethical Guidelines and Code of Ethics

Decolonising Psychology: Ethical Guidelines and Code of Ethics

Introduction: Decolonising Psychology in Australia

  • Speaker: Amy Cleland from Kaurna Country.

  • Purpose: This presentation aims to inform about the current position of psychology as a discipline in Australia regarding working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities, and Indigenous psychologies.

  • Contextual Foundation: Builds upon previously discussed history of psychology, focusing on the crucial work of decolonisation.

  • Discipline's Approach: Psychology in Australia is engaged in decolonising through specific discourses and strategies to address its colonial past.

  • Key Focus: This involves examining the development of specific ethical guidelines that are integral to accreditation standards for individuals training and practicing psychology.

  • Interweaving with APS Code of Ethics: These guidelines are intricately linked with the Australian Psychological Society's (APS) Code of Ethics, providing examples of its relevance and the detailed application of context-specific ethical guidelines for working and researching in Aboriginal contexts.

  • Educational Starting Point: Decolonising psychology initially engages with theory and conceptual ideas within education and training.

  • Professional Development: This includes fostering cultural awareness, competence, and responsiveness among the profession, concepts previously explored.

What is Decolonising Psychology?

  • Definition: It is a discourse that sets an agenda, understood primarily as a process.

  • Dual Focus: It involves:

    • Decolonising ourselves (the individual).

    • Decolonising the profession (the group).

  • Knowledge Agenda: It sets an agenda for:

    • Knowing the Past: Understanding colonisation, the history of psychology's involvement, and racism.

    • Knowing the Present: Comprehending the ongoing impacts of the past and contemporary racism.

    • Knowing about Culture: Awareness of one's own culture and the cultures of others.

    • Knowing about Aboriginal Knowledges: Understanding Aboriginal perspectives on health and well-being.

  • Importance and End Result: The core belief is that psychology, as a body of knowledge, possesses the capacity to:

    • Shed light on human motivation and behaviour.

    • Offer a theoretical framework to understand past and contemporary injustice.

    • Guide society towards a more equitable future.

  • Operational Premise: It requires