SAMA was formed for the purpose of promoting and supporting the professional use of intentional sound and music throughout the spectrum of life, in all possible settings and applications. To further this goal, and to honor the diversity of our respective fields, SAMA recognized the need for an inclusive Code of Professional Ethics encompassing all aspects of the field – including clinical practice, education, research standards, product claims, and more.
The Ethics Committee of SAMA formulated a code that encompasses the traditional tenants of professional behavior, while also approaching ethical issues from a place of vision and intention. SAMA is in a unique position to incorporate the principles and standards of practice from many diverse fields that utilize the transformative power of sound and music. SAMA also chooses to develop this code in light of newer, emerging approaches that avoid sterile legalism and instead, highlight the potential and subtlety of relationship, exchange, interconnectedness, holism, etc. Overview of the Code The SAMA Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct (hereinafter referred to as the Ethics Code) consists of five sections:
The Introduction discusses the intent, organization, and scope of application of the Ethics Code.
The Preamble and General Principles are aspirational; they provide broad guidelines for ethical decision-making. In contrast, the Ethical Standards are expected and mandatory provisions.
Most of the Ethical Standards are written broadly, in order to apply to intentional sound and music providers in varied roles, although the application of an Ethical Standard may vary depending on the context. The Ethical Standards are not exhaustive.
The SAMA Code of Ethics integrated a variety of approaches to ethics and ethical behavior to create a new synergy that supports the basic intention of “do no harm.” The code addresses issues of professional behavior in a number of areas, including:
You can read SAMA's Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct here