It's about time we had a professional oath in psychology

Symbols and ceremony are an important element in the formation and continuation of all societies. They enunciate the values of the citizenry or the membership of the society, and often provide the only tangible representation of those values. Furthermore, little has been written about the process of “formation” of identity of professional psychologists. One issue that has received little attention in terms of its symbolic importance as well as its capacity to aid formation concerns the development of an oath for professional psychologists. This paper considers the need for a professional oath for Australian psychologists. The concept of the professional oath is explored, and an examination of the merits of adopting a professional oath is considered. The practical issues of adopting a professional oath will then be briefly examined. The paper concludes by recommending that professional oath taking by psychologists be initiated as a matter of high priority.