An acculturation model for ethics training: The ethics autobiography and beyond

An integrated theme for ethics courses and workshops can be very valuable to psychologists engaged in ethics training. The model of ethical acculturation (M. M. Handelsman, M. C. Gottlieb, & S. Knapp, 2005) can serve as a framework for ethics training at undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education levels. The authors outline several advantages of focusing on the process of acculturating to the ethics of psychology rather than having students simply memorize ethics principles and standards. They discuss several pedagogical activities used to implement the acculturation theme and to help students become more active participants in their learning. Examples from student papers and course discussions highlight the ways these techniques aid in the teaching, learning, and assessment of learning in professional ethics training.