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Ethics to Go!

A feature of the Year 11 and Year 12 Psychology books has been the focus on the mental health and well-being of those people studying the course. Every topic concludes with a chapter on personal/social issues and a chapter on ethics. Both of these chapters are applied in nature and are intended to develop your personal values and beliefs, and your critical thinking in relation to ethical decisions we have to make.

This website has been designed to support students who are interested in exploring their understanding of values, ethics and psychology.

Personal Ethical Decision Making and the 7Ps

What does it mean to act ethically?  Click on the 7Ps Ethics Checklist (pdf file 32Kb) for information about ethical dilemmas and the 7Ps model designed to help you make ethical decisions.  Examples of ethical decision making are included.

ETHICS TO GO!

Competition for secondary school students

This year we are conducting a competition for secondary school students  to enable you to undertake a project which will assist with your learning and at the same time earn prizes for your school. Values and ethics are part of life, and central to learning about Psychology.  We hope you will take up the challenge to identify an ethical dilemma and describe how you have used the decision making model to decide what to do. 

This competition is intended to develop students' personal values and enhance their respect for diversity - race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation and disability. It also aims to develop ethical decision making when confronted with everyday ethical dilemmas.

Present the ethical dilemma

This can either in the form of a written example, or a short film or video.  For information about "What is an Ethical Dilemma" and the 7Ps model of  ethical decision making, including examples, see pdf available at "7Ps Ethics Checklist" above.

Explain either in writing or in the film, how the 7 Ps can be applied to help solve the dilemma.

This could be through interviews with others. 

How was the problem resolved?

How did the dilemma end? What did you learn from doing this?

Your entry should include:

  1. Project title
  2. Short summary of your chosen dilemma
  3. Analysis of your chosen dilemma using the ethical decision making model.  Examples can be found in the Psychology Essentials textbooks and on  this website.
  4. The project can be presented in either of the following mediums:
    1. A written and illustrated report of approximately 1000 words, submitted in A4 hard copy and electronic format (.doc, .pdf, .wmv or .ppt files).  OR
    2. A 5-15 minute short film or video (DVD or CD for .wmv files).
    3. A completed entry form (Word doc) attached to your report.

Conditions of Entry

  1. All applicants must be secondary school students currently studying in South Australia.
  2. All entries must include this completed entry form and must be received by Friday 2nd November 2007.
  3. The competition organising committee takes no responsibility for entries lost or damaged in transit.
  4. All entries will remain the property of the University of South Australia and will not be automatically returned to applicants. If you wish to reclaim your entry, please provide an adequately sized, stamped self-addressed envelope.
  5. The panel of judges will decide the winners of the competition and the judges’ decisions are final.
  6. All prizes are non transferable.
  7. Winners will be notified via telephone in mid-November, 2007. 1st prize will be presented to the winning student/s at school assembly by an author of the Essentials textbook.
  8. Winning and commended entries may be displayed on the Ethics to Go website.
  9. By entering the competition you acknowledge that you are the copyright owner of your entry and authorise the University of South Australia to use your entry in any way including by copying and communicating it for educational and promotional purposes. You will be acknowledged as the author of your entry and any use of the entry other than as outlined above is subject to your specific permission.

Judging Criteria

The competition will be judged by a panel of academic staff from the School of Psychology at the University of South Australia. Judging criteria are as follows:

  • Clear depiction of a real life dilemma relevant to high school students.
  • Demonstration of critical thinking using the “ethical decision-making model” in the Psychology Essentials Textbook SACE Stage 1 or 2, or on this website
  • Engaging presentation of project material.
  • Compliance with conditions of entry.

Prizes

The school of the winning student or students will receive a copy of the Psychology Essentials SACE Stage 1 and 2 textbooks and a cheque for:

  • 1st prize: $2000
  • 2nd prize: $500
  • 3rd prize: $250

How to enter

Send your entry along with your entry form to:

Dr Paul Whetham
Ethics to Go Competition
School of Psychology
University of South Australia
GPO Box 2471
Adelaide SA  5001

Enquiries

Contact the School of Psychology, University of South Australia:

          Email:  psychology@unisa.edu.au

          Please type "Ethics to Go query" in the Subject box.


Why not have a go?

 

 

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