REGULATING PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT .2. THE PROFESSIONAL-BOARD-FOR-PSYCHOLOGY IN SOUTH-AFRICA

In the second paper on the regulation of professional conduct the func tioning of the Professional Board of Psychology with regard to ethical complaints and enquiries is examined. A relatively low number of comp laints was lodged in the period 1974 to 1990, with 23 findings of guil t established. Complaints involving fees or accounts predominated, wit h advertising an important second category. Advertising complaints mos tly were submitted by psychologists themselves, while members of the p ublic are well represented in the other categories of complaint. The f indings are discussed in terms of the functioning of a code of ethics in the professional domain: to maintain the appearance of professional vigilance for ethical transgressions, and to punish Visible offences against the public more severely than intra-professional transgression s. It is concluded that codes of ethics are not particularly strong in acknowledging and enforcing the corporate obligations of a profession .