The field of Psychology is a field of study that is wide-ranging, and this is exemplified by the existence of 54-divisions of interest groups. These groups are representative of diverse subdisciplines in psychology, for example, experimental, social or clinical. A closer examination of the divisions of psychology by topic can lead on to more specific field such as addiction, aging, and applied experiments among others. The field of psychology has a broad scope, creating a vast area for professional growth among those who wanted to venture in a professional career in this field.
Further, becoming a professional practitioner in the field of psychology requires a thorough understanding of the concepts associated with it. That is, those who wanted to pursue a profession in one of its branches must ensure that they have the required skills and training that is generally acquired only through education. As noted, graduation from college and even a doctoral degree is considered as a significant transition in the life of an individual who has the objective to join the organization of psychology professionals. However, the increased responsibility associated with becoming a professional requires a deeper understanding of the intricacies of the profession by engaging with other professionals. Consequently, the development of psychology division is a considerable step that can help aspiring professionals to determine the specific field that they. Some of the factors that are important part in the field of psychology includes getting familiar with the a) code of ethics that will serve as a guide to psychology professionals, b) adherence to the principle of continuing education, and c) knowing about the standards of conduct that are expected of psychologists.
The APA has its own ethical standards which are set to be enforced among the members of the profession. Generally, these ethical standards are written as a means to provide a clarity of their application among the members of the profession in their diverse roles. Further, ethical standard in psychology can also vary depending on its application in a particular setting. They are not meant to be exhaustive, however, the fact that a specific conduct is not defined based on the ethical standard does not readily denote the ethicality or unethicality of a certain conduct.
Continuing Principle
Moreover, the APA aims for the adherence to continuing education among its members, thus it developed programs where psychologists as well as other mental health professionals can avail. Continuing education is important in this field because of the possible emergence of new learning opportunity for professional development. In addition to that, the APA also provides for an opportunity among organizations to become APA-approved sponsors in the field of continuing education programs in psychology.
Standards and Guidelines
In the APA policy, the standards are referred to as the determined principles, practices or stipulations for a specific conduct in the performance of psychological services. These include not only the services, but also the products in psychology and other fields that relates to it. As a rule, standards in psychology are set as mandatory, in may be coupled with other elements that helps in its implementation. Further, there are also guidelines in the conduct of professional services such as the pronouncements, and statements from experts in the field. Overall, standards and guidelines serve to help psychologist in providing better services to their clients.
