More Musings on Ethics: A Response to Weatherly (2021)

Wine (2022) wrote a reply to Weatherly’s 2021 ethics paper.

The piece looks at OBM licensure rules and asks if “just get licensed” is enough.

It is a theory paper, not a data study, aimed at workplace behavior analysts.

The paper says ethics trouble is bigger than missing a license.

Wine argues we also need culture change, supervision fixes, and clearer codes.

In short, follow the law, but don’t stop there.

Normand et al. (2023) extend the talk to research ethics. They warn that running single-case studies on your own clients creates dual roles. Both papers push practitioners to look past the basic rule book.

Sajwaj (1977) said tight guidelines can kill new ideas. Wine repeats the warning for OBM: licensure alone may box us in. The old lesson still fits.

Lloveras et al. (2023) reframe the word “ignore” into “attention withheld.” Wine reframes ethics beyond “get licensed.” Both show how fresh language can shift practice.

If you supervise staff or design systems, check your ethics plan. Add staff training, peer review, and clear values statements. A license is the floor, not the ceiling.