Ethical, Legal, or Sociocultural Issues Assignment

Ethical, Legal, or Sociocultural Issues - Assignment Example In the context of counseling, ethics is referred to as the philosophical discipline concerned with the standards that govern conduct perceived to be acceptable by a culture or society. Ethical considerations for carrying out testing and measurement, in any psychological context, from a participant perspective should include informed consent obtained from all the participants, voluntary participation and adhering to confidentiality of participant information like identity. Legally, all psychometric tests and measurements have to be performed by competent test users according to the regulation. According to the International Test Commission (ITC), â€Å"A competent test user will use tests appropriately, professionally, and in an ethical manner, paying due regard to the needs and rights of those involved in the testing process, the reasons for testing, and the broader context in which the testing takes place† (Dobbie & Fitzgerald, 2003). Abiding by the ethics codes such as confidentiality, right to informed consent, and voluntary participation are also covered under legal boundaries. From a sociocultural perspective, biasness in testing and measurement is the most common possibility. The psychologists involved in testing should have sensitivity, knowledge, and skills to work with individuals and groups with a diverse range of strengths and needs from a variety of racial, cultural, ethnic, experiential, and linguistic backgrounds. With this expertise, the psychologists will be able to reduce and/or eliminate possible biasness caused by these sociocultural norms, thereby helping participants of all backgrounds feel welcomed and appreciated in the group (NASP, 2000). The AMCD multicultural counseling competencies (Toporek et al, 1996) also advocates the counselor to educate their clients on the intention of psychological interventions such as goals, expectations, legal rights and the counselor’s

The Myths of Negotiating Dark Networks Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Myths of Negotiating Dark Networks - Article Example They clarify that â€Å"in contrast to hierarchies, networks lack top-down command and authoritative dispute settlement† (2008: 11). While they acknowledge the commonly cited advantages of networked actors – efficient communication and information processing, scalability, adaptability, resilience, and learning capacity – they rightfully caution that all of these may not apply to every type of network. Eistrup-Sangiovanni and Jones identify three kinds of networks: the chain network, the wheel network, and the all-channel network. Illicit networks are primarily of the first two variants and many, if not most, suffer from â€Å"inefficiencies and short life-cycles† (2008: 17). The scholarship on networks, they claim, pays scant attention to historical evidence and extant studies of terrorism, insurgency, and organized crime. Dark networks suffer from information limitations and communication failures, poor decision-making and excessive risk-taking, restrictions on scope and structural adaptability, collective action problems due to (lack of) coordination, frequent security breaches, and learning disabilities (2008: 19-33). Using these limitations as an analytical framework, Eistrup-Sangiovanni and Jones examine the organizational structure of the al-Qaida, which appears to be a robust network-based threat in the 21st century. The al-Qaida’s potency draws a lot from a hierarchical organization, which has been increasingly difficult to maintain as the group comes under sustained international pressure. Its capacity to undertake major operations – like the â€Å"9/11† attacks – dwindles as it more closely resembles a loosely structured network of actors; indeed, there have been more failed attempts than successful attacks since 2001 (2008: 35-40).