The Most Ethical of People, the Least Ethical of People: Proposing Self-Determination Theory to Measure Professional Character Formation

Abstract

The complexities of ethical and professional behavior present major challenges for systematic study. In order to illuminate the understanding and promotion of ethics and professionalism, scientific inquiry will require testable hypotheses that reach deeply to the sources and means of developing professional behaviors. A functional consideration must also be broad, reaching to many subtle factors that impact ethics and professionalism, including personal purpose, attitudes, values, character, integrity, interpersonal behaviors, and more. I discuss here many of these factors, and an approach to measure them that is sufficiently broad and deep to offer real promise.