Please note: The items in section E of the Fifth Edition Task List correspond to the sections of a separate document, the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts (2020), which went into effect on January 1, 2022. There is no substitute for reading the code in its entirety and discussing it with supervisors/colleagues. The information contained below is just a short overview of each section. If you need ethics guidance about a particular issue, please make sure you are talking to a competent professional about your specific concerns.

The Introduction section of the Ethics Code includes a discussion of the scope of the code (to whom the code applies, and under what circumstances), core principles (overarching values that drive our practice as professional behavior analysts), application of the code (guidance on using the code, including a suggested ethical problem solving model), and enforcement of the code (the system in place to support adherence). The code document also includes a Glossary section, which defines a number of key terms used throughout the body of the code, including “client,” “stakeholder,” etc.

What stands out? Practitioners and students may wish to pay particular attention to the scope of the Code, as well the definitions of commonly misunderstood or controversial terms.