The governance of ethics in the profession of industrial psychology in South Africa : the roles of regulatory bodies and professional associations

M.Phil.Governance comprises different interrelated functions and activities which are to be clearly defined and allocated towards a responsible person / entity. The aim of the study was to explore the perceptions of the Professional Board for Psychology of the Health Professions Council of South Africa and the two professional associations (Psychological Society of South Africa and Society for Industrial and Organisational Psychology of South Africa) on how they define their different roles in governing ethics in the profession of industrial psychology. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse data collected through semi-structured interviews from nine participants with three members from each of these organisations who were considered to be experts in the area of ethics governance. The outcome of this study suggests that the regulatory body which is the Professional Board for Psychology, the two professional associations together with other identified role players have a role to play in governing ethics of industrial psychologists. The results also highlighted the need for these parties to collaborate in advancing their roles in striving towards higher levels of ethics within the profession of industrial psychology