A Historical Perspective on the Development of Ethical Guidelines Within the American Statistical Association

• Activity Number: 665
• Type: Invited
• Date/Time: Thursday, August 13, 2015 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
• Sponsor: Committee on Professional Ethics
• Author(s): Duane Steffey*
• Companies: Exponent, Inc.
• Keywords: professionalism ; shared values ; responsibilities

Abstract

Developing ethical guidelines and standards for a scientific profession is a long-term, evolutionary process. Although the ASA was established in 1839, it operated for over one hundred years without a written code of conduct. Beginning in the 1950s, largely through the efforts of two ad hoc committees and with the input of a great number of people, the ASA developed and published a set of ethical guidelines for statistical practice. The guidelines address the responsibilities of statistical practitioners to other involved parties-colleagues, peers, clients, employers, funders, and research subjects-as well as in publications, testimony, and allegations of misconduct.

This talk reviews the process ASA followed in developing ethical guidelines, as well as their content, and the perspectives of prominent contributors to the development process. The talk also examines potential links between the guidelines and general principles articulated in the contemporary theory of principle-centered leadership. A closing point of consideration is how such links might advance the dual goals of promoting relevant and useful ethical guidance as well as effective statistical leadership.