Profession
Psychologists specify unethical interrogation techniques
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Sept. 10, 2007
The American Psychological Assn. last month adopted a resolution condemning psychologists who participate in any of 19 interrogation techniques it says are unethical.
The policy falls short of the stricter standards the American Psychiatric Assn. and the AMA set last year. Those say that physicians should not conduct, monitor or directly participate in the interrogation of prisoners.
The psychologists' new policy says that it is unethical to directly or indirectly participate in activities such as mock execution; simulated drowning or suffocation; sexual, religious or cultural humiliation; exploitation of phobias; extreme sleep deprivation; or induced hypothermia. The group also called on the U.S. government to prohibit the techniques.
"We have had a long-standing position that torture and other forms of inhuman and degrading treatment are unethical," said Stephen Behnke, PhD, director of the American Psychological Assn.'s Ethics Office.
"The strength of this new resolution is that it adds specificity to that prohibition," Dr. Behnke said.
Behavioral-science consultant teams composed partially of psychologists helped to devise brutal interrogation tactics that were employed against suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, according to numerous government reports, medical journal articles, leaked classified documents, human rights groups, court filings and news accounts.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2007/09/10/prbf0910.htm.
