Psychology and Ethics: the double face of Janus

Abstract

This article attempts to explore the relation between psychology and ethics, by studying the epistemo-logical status of psychology. Emphasis is placed on examining the views of positivism, humanism and social constructionism, as regards the relation between psychology and ethics. According to the positivist approach, psychology is an objective, experimental science that should be free of any moral values and of any attempts to determine what is morally right. Proponents of the humanistic orientation have been critical of the "value neutrality" view of psychology and attempted to highlight the moral dimensions of psychological knowledge. Social constructionists have critiqued individual humanism and proposed a relational humanism that would make the relationship networks encompassing individuals explicit. In conclusion, we established that in examining the relation between psychology and ethics some epistemological contradictions occur, which should be more thoroughly researched.

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