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2010 Assessment Resource - Internal
Level 1 Psychology
27258, Demonstrate knowledge of the key principles of the Code of Ethics for
psychologists working in Aotearoa/New Zealand
Credits: 4
Teacher guidelines:
The following guidelines are supplied to enable teachers to carry out valid and consistent
assessment using this internal assessment resource.
Context/setting:
In this activity students will demonstrate knowledge of the key principles of the Code of
Ethics for psychologists working in Aotearoa/New Zealand.
As part of the teaching programme you could work through one or more scenarios or
pieces of psychological research to demonstrate knowledge of the key principles of the
Code of Ethics for psychologists working in Aotearoa/New Zealand. A range of activities
needs to be offered in class which will help students understand why ethics is an
essential part of psychological research and practice.
You will also give students opportunities to study the key principles of the Code of Ethics
for psychologists working in Aotearoa/New Zealand. This Code of Ethics and other
supporting material is available from the New Zealand Psychological Society
http://www.psychology.org.nz/.
Conditions:
The assessment task as outlined in this support material will be a presentation of
students’ choice. This can be written, oral, or audio-visual. Teachers may choose to
prescribe the presentation format. Students will be given two weeks of class time to
complete their presentation. Work can also be done out of class time. This support
material incorporates scheduled checkpoints to monitor the progress of students’ work.
As students are able to undertake research outside of class time, they will be required to
complete a declaration of authenticity.
You will provide students with a range of studies, from which they will choose one or
more scenarios or pieces of psychological research to base their presentation on. The
studies you provide the students need to offer the students the opportunity to
demonstrate knowledge of the key principles of the Code of Ethics for psychologists
working in Aotearoa/New Zealand.
References may be oral, visual and/ or written and may be selected from one or several
text types. Texts should be appropriate to Level 6 of the New Zealand Curriculum
(NZC), or have characteristics that enable students to meet the expected level of
understanding. Assessment of this standard also provides opportunities for students to
develop aspects of the key competencies of the NZC. Students can read texts, collect
information and develop ideas for the assessed presentation both in and out of class
time. Teachers will need to schedule checkpoints to ensure authenticity.
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2011
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Before assessment begins, teachers should guide students through the process of
exploring texts, reading for meaning, and locating relevant information.
Students need to keep a record of all the source material they use. A suggested
reference record for source material has been provided. Source material can include,
but is not limited to, books, websites, podcasts, journals, newspapers, magazines,
photographs. To get students into the habit of using citation styles as used by
psychologists across the world, teachers will need to teach students how to cite
references using the American Psychological Association (APA) citation style. Guidance
on APA citation style can be found through http://www.apastyle.org/ or through the
referencing functions provided by various software programmes.
Where student work is to be presented for assessment, constructive feedback should not
compromise authenticity but can validly include suggestions about areas where further
developments are needed. Students should have the opportunity to receive feedback at
each checkpoint to edit, revise and polish their work before assessment judgements are
made.
Resource requirements:
1)
Code of Ethics For Psychologists Working in Aotearoa/New Zealand, 2002
2)
A range of selected studies. Possible studies could include:
a.
Milgram (1963)
b.
Zimbardo (1973)
c.
Watson (1920)
d.
Pavlov (1927)
e.
Rosenhan (1973)
f.
Latané and Darley (1968)
g.
Harlow (1969)
h.
Gavey (2005)
3)
A range of selected scenarios. Possible scenarios could include:
a.
an individual visiting a psychologist for the treatment of anxiety
b.
the ethics of reality media e.g. Survivor, stunt telephone calls by radio
‘shock-jocks’, tabloid press coverage of celebrities
c.
the ethics of advertising.
4)
Weatherall, A., Wilson, M., Harper, D., McDowall, J., (2007) Psychology in
Aotearoa/New Zealand. Pearson: Auckland.
Additional information:
The mode in which students present the key principles of the Code of Ethics for
psychologists working in Aotearoa/New Zealand could be assessed against other
standards such as writing, oral presentation and visual text standards. Wherever such
integration between different parts of the programme occurs, teachers must ensure that
the work presented for assessment is developed sufficiently in order to meet the criteria
for the other standard.
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2011
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27258, Demonstrate knowledge of the key principles of the Code of Ethics for
psychologists working in Aotearoa/New Zealand
“You can’t do that! Ethical practice in Aotearoa/New Zealand psychology”
Credit: 6
Student Instructions Sheet
During your Psychology programme in class, your teacher will work through one or
more scenarios or pieces of psychological research to demonstrate knowledge of the
key principles of the Code of Ethics for psychologists working in Aotearoa/New Zealand.
You will do a range of activities in class which will help you understand why ethics is an
essential part of psychological research and practice.
Your teacher will also give you opportunities to study the key principles of the Code of
Ethics for psychologists working in Aotearoa/New Zealand. This Code of Ethics and
other supporting material is available from the New Zealand Psychological Society
http://www.psychology.org.nz/.
Your assessment task will be a presentation of your choice and can be written, oral, or
audio-visual. You will be given two weeks of class time to complete your presentation.
Work can also be done out of class time. Teachers will schedule checkpoints to ensure
the authenticity of your work. As part of the assessment process you will also be
required to complete a declaration of authenticity.
Your teacher will provide you with a range of scenarios or studies from which you will
choose one or more to base your presentation on. You will use these to demonstrate
knowledge of the key principles of the Code of Ethics for psychologists working in
Aotearoa/New Zealand.
Your presentation should:
 outline the key principles of the Code of Ethics
 identify the principles most relevant to your scenarios or studies
 describe how the key principles relate to psychological practice.
For merit or excellence your presentation may also include:
 examples to support the core ideas
 comprehensive understanding of the key principles as they relate to your scenarios
or studies
 relating the key principles holistically and/or perceptively to psychological practice.
As part of your Psychology programme your teacher will work with you to source
reference texts or other materials.
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2011
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Keeping a record of reference or sourced material
As you create your presentation you will need to keep a record of all the source material
you will use. This is an important part of the ethical process as well! Your source
material can include books, websites, podcasts, journals, newspapers, magazines,
photographs. Draw up a record sheet so that you can record your sources in an ongoing
way over the course of work. To get you into the habit of using citation styles as used by
psychologists across the world, please cite your references using the American
Psychological Association (APA) citation style. Guidance on APA citation style can be
found through http://www.apastyle.org/ or through the referencing functions provided by
various software programmes.
Example of reference record
Source description
APA Reference
Book – Psychology in Aotearoa/New
Zealand
Weatherall, A., Wilson, M., Harper, D.,
McDowall, J., (2007) Psychology in
Aotearoa/New Zealand. Pearson:
Auckland.
Picture of prisoner
Stanford Prison Experiment website,
http://www.prisonexp.org/ accessed 20
May 2010
Assessment guide
For achieved
For merit
For excellence
Will involve the student
making points relevant to
the Code of Ethics in
relation to psychological
practice.
Will involve the student
making coherent points
relevant to the Code of
Ethics with the majority of
the points linking to
psychological practice
Will involve the student
making coherent points
which are relevant to the
Code of Ethics and which
will be developed and
integrated in relation to
psychological practice.
To complete the assessment for this standard there are three checkpoints you need to
complete before you can make your final presentation.
Checkpoint One:
Complete this presentation plan. When completing the section on time management
note the dates you intend to complete each checkpoint and the steps you need to take to
do this.
The format I will use for my presentation is…
The resources I need for my presentation are…
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2011
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My time management plan for preparing the presentation is
 Checkpoint one

Checkpoint two

Checkpoint three

Presentation due date
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2011
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Checkpoint Two:
Use the table below to help you achieve your second assessment checkpoint. You will
need to examine the Code of Ethics for psychologists working in Aotearoa/New Zealand.
Then in your own words answer the three questions below.
What is the purpose of the code of ethics?
Explain the ideas behind each of the four key principles of the code of ethics.
The code states “In giving effect to the Principles and Values of this Code of Ethics there
shall be due regard for New Zealand’s cultural diversity and in particular for the
provisions of, and the spirit and intent of, the Treaty of Waitangi”.
Explain what this means and find an example within the code of an implication for
researchers and practitioners.
Checkpoint Three:
Use the table below to help you achieve your third assessment checkpoint. You will
need to examine your chosen scenarios or studies and identify where they may have
complied with the Code of Ethics. If you find any instances where the Code may not
have been complied with, note this too.
Source
Describe where the
scenario or study complied
with the Code of Ethics
Describe, if applicable, where
the scenario or study did not
comply with the Code of
Ethics
You are now ready to begin your presentation!
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2011
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Study: Harlow (1969)
Ethics 1 Evidence Statements: Demonstrate knowledge of the key principles of the Code of Ethics for psychologists
working in Aotearoa/New Zealand
Achievement
Understanding:
Make points relevant to the Code of Ethics.
Achievement with
Merit
Detailed
understanding:
Make coherent points
which are relevant to
the topic being
addressed with the
majority of the points
linking to the principles
of the Code of Ethics.
Achievement with
Excellence
In depth understanding:
Make coherent points
which are relevant to the
topic being addressed and
which will be developed
and integrated with the
principles of the Code of
Ethics.
Outline the principles
Key principles and their clauses include:
Respect for the Dignity of Persons and Peoples
General respect; non-discrimination; relations between Maori and NonMaori; Sensitivity to diversity; children/young persons; privacy and
confidentiality; informed consent
Responsible Caring
Promotion of wellbeing; competence; active participation; vulnerability;
children/ young persons; wellbeing of human research participants;
animals
Integrity in Relationships
Honesty; personal values; structure of relationships; conflicts of interest
Social Justice and Responsibility to Society.
Welfare of society; respect for society; benefit to society; accountability,
standards and ethical practice
For each principle, describe its purpose and the ideas behind it.
Show detailed
understanding of the
principles
Show an in-depth and
coherent understanding of
the principles
As for Achieved plus:
Provide points about
the principles and their
clauses that are well
structured and
coherently linked to the
topic being addressed.
As for Merit plus:
The response should
focus on the linkages
between the four
principles and be able to
consider the Code of
Ethics as a whole.
Identify at least ONE link between the principles and the scenario
The most relevant principles that needed to be addressed in this study
Outline at least TWO
coherent links between
the principles and the
scenario
As for Achieved plus;
additional examples or
ideas that outline one
Develop and integrate the
links between the
principles and the
scenario
As for Merit plus:
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2011
were:
Principle 2: Responsible Caring.
Promotion of well-being: Harlow did not consider the potential harm to his
subjects, nor predict the likelihood of it occurring nor endeavour to correct
these harmful effects.
Competence: Arguably, he showed a lack of competence in dealing with
his subjects and did not take into account how his own experiences
contributed to this work.
Animals: this research was not ethically sound and contributed to the rise
of the animal liberation movement.
Principle 4: Social Justice and Responsibility to Society
Benefit to society: Many of his findings have been used in ways he did not
anticipate and his ideas about the role of food versus comfort in
attachment. He did not address this possible societal effect in his
research.
or more of the
following:
How the experiment
might have been
altered to comply with
the principles,
Why his experiment
would not be given
ethical approval in
New Zealand,
The linkages between
principles.
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Excellence students can
see that the four principles
inter-relate and that all
four need to be applied in
order for the Code of
Ethics to be upheld. This
may include a perceptive
focus on the implications
of breaching the Code of
Ethics.
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2011
Scenario: Stunt telephone calls
by radio ‘shock-jocks’
Outline the principles
Key principles and their clauses include;
Respect for the Dignity of Persons and Peoples
General respect; non-discrimination; relations between Maori and NonMaori; Sensitivity to diversity; children/young persons; privacy and
confidentiality; informed consent
Responsible Caring
Promotion of wellbeing; competence; active participation; vulnerability;
children/ young persons; wellbeing of human research participants;
animals
Integrity in Relationships
Honesty; personal values; structure of relationships; conflicts of interest
Social Justice and Responsibility to Society.
Welfare of society; respect for society; benefit to society; accountability,
standards and ethical practice
For each principle, describe its purpose and the ideas behind it.
Identify at least ONE link between the principles and the scenario
The most relevant principles that needed to be addressed in this study
were:
The most relevant principles are:
Principle 1: Respect for the dignity of Persons and Peoples
General respect: These stunts intentionally harass and exploit participants
and foster a lack of dignity.
Non-discrimination: They actively target individuals who are part of
minority groups or who are perceived to be different from the ‘norm’.
Privacy and confidentiality: These stunts are recorded for the express
purpose of broadcasting them. This is often done ‘live’ and no attempt is
made to protect identities.
Informed consent: Little or no information is provided to the subject/victim
prior to the stunt so they are in no position to make a decision about their
participation.
Principle 3: Integrity in Relationships
Honesty: The Radio ‘shock-jocks’ generally deceive their subjects and
also do not worry about accuracy of information. They rarely correct
errors and often mislead.
Show detailed
understanding of the
principles
Provide points about
the principles and their
clauses that are well
structured and
coherently linked to the
topic being addressed.
Outline at least TWO
coherent links between
the principles and the
scenario
As for Achieved plus;
Additional examples or
ideas that outline one
or more of the
following:
How these stunts
might have been
altered to comply with
the principles,
Why these stunts
would not be given
ethical approval in
New Zealand,
The linkages between
principles.
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Show an in-depth and
coherent understanding of
the principles
As for Merit plus:
The response should
focus on the linkages
between the four
principles and be able to
consider the Code of
Ethics as a whole.
Develop and integrate the
links between the
principles and the
scenario
As for Merit plus:
Excellence students can
see that the four principles
inter-relate and that all
four need to be applied in
order for the Code of
Ethics to be upheld. This
may include a perceptive
focus on the implications
of breaching the Code of
Ethics.
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2011
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Notes:
 The evidence statements outline the most relevant principles that seem to breach the Code of Ethics for each scenario/study.
Students may also use examples from the topic addressed that show how the Code of Ethics was upheld, but must address
the deficits in the study/scenario to demonstrate understanding.
 Evidence statements are indicative and not exclusive.
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2011
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Judgement Statements
Achievement
Achievement with Merit
Achievement with Excellence
Demonstrate understanding:
Demonstrate detailed understanding:
Demonstrate in-depth understanding:
Outline the four principles of the Code of
Ethics by describing their purpose and
the ideas behind each principle.
Outline coherent points about the four
principles of the Code of Ethics by
describing their purpose and the ideas
behind each principle.
Outline coherent points about the four
principles of the Code of Ethics by describing
their purpose and the ideas behind each
principle.
AND
Identify at least one relevant link between AND
the principles and the scenario/ study.
Demonstrate, in detail, a range of
relevant links between the principles and
the scenario/study. This will include
examples of where the topic addressed
either did, or did not, comply with the
Code of Ethics.
AND
Develop a range of relevant and coherent
points that integrate the scenario/study with
the principles of the Code of Ethics. This may
include implications and/or alternate courses
of action.
Note: The majority of the points about
the topic addressed must be relevant to
the principles detailed.
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2011