Professional decisions and behaviors on the ethical rim

Social conventions are everyday habits or preferences that most people would not consider to be moral or ethical issues. However, some social conventions, such as what names and titles to use or how to dress, may affect the quality of professional services and the way the public perceives psychologists; therefore, they may have ethical implications. We refer to these issues as falling on the ethical rim. In this article, we review several decisions and behaviors on the rim of ethics, explore their potential ethical implications, and suggest ways for psychologists to decide about social conventions and the ethics involved.