Ethical reasoning DC-S

1. BY REBECCA MINOR
ETHICAL
REASONING, USING
THE DEMAND-
CONTROL SCHEMA

2. ...to be able to “respond” to something. We cannot
respond until we have fully considered the situation
and the results of our decisions.
“RESPONSIBILITY”

3. WE MUST FIRST EVALUATE THE JOB’S
DEMANDS BEFORE EXPLAINING HOW AN
INTERPRETER SHOULD RESPOND
(INTERPRETER’S CONTROL OPTIONS)

4. Linguistic - The language used by
assignment participants1JOB
DEMANDS
ARE...
Environmental - by nature of the
place where the assignment takes
place
2
Interpersonal - dynamics between
participants
3
Intrapersonal - generated from within
the interpreters own thoughs/feelings
3
4

5. Skills
1JOB
CONTROLS
ARE...
Resources
2
decision authority - which interpreters
typically do not have in any given
situation
3

6. HIGH CONTROL
I Active: Interpreter is highly skilled and
well prepared for a demanding job = job
satisfaction
II High-Strain: Demands are high but
interpreter is not well prepared or can not
demonstrate the decision authority to
improve working conditions
III Passive: very few demands, not
requiring many controls = little
professional growth
IV: Low-Strain: Interpreter is well prepared
but demands are few = boring, (i.e. on-
call or hospital over night, when nothing is
happening)
4 QUADRANTS
LOW CONTROL
HIGH
DEMAND
LOW
DEMAND
I ACTIVE
II HIGH-
STRAIN
III
PASSIVE
IV LO-
STRAIN

7. SOMETIMES THINGS WE CONSIDER “BEST
PRACTICES” DO NOT FIT A GIVEN SITUATION
CONTEXT IS EVERYTHING!
IF A SPEAKER IS EXTREMELY UPSET, OR USING OBSCENE BODY
LANGUAGE SHOULD WE “MATCH THE SPIRIT OF THE SPEAKER” IN
THIS SITUATION? WOULD WE APPEAR TO BE MOCKING THE
SPEAKER?

8. WHAT IS
THE
CONFLICT?
Ethical decision making is a process
FOR EVERY DECISION THERE IS A
CONSEQUENCE AND RESULTING
DEMAND.
WHAT
OPTIONS
DO I HAVE?
IF I MAKE
THAT
DECISION,
WHAT IS THE
RESULTING
DEMAND?

9. FROM DEAN & POLLARD 2006

10. APPROACHES TO MAKING AND
JUSTIFYING ETHICAL DECISIONS
TELEOLOGICAL
focuses not on the rules, but the
outcomes
focuses on adherence to rules (machine like)
DEONTOLOGICAL

11. How does the deaf consumer
interpret your decision?1PERSPECTIVES
How does the hearing consumer
interpret your decision?
2
How does your decision impact the
expectations these consumers have
about future interpreters?
3

12. REFRENCES
DEAN, R., POLLARD, R. (2006). FROM BEST PRACTICE TO BEST PRACTICE PROCESS:
SHIFTING ETHICAL THINKING AND TEACHING. IN E. M. MARONEY (ED.), A NEW
CHAPTER IN INTERPRETER EDUCATION: ACCREDITATION, RESEARCH AND
TECHNOLOGY (PP. 119-131). (PROCEEDINGS OF THE 16TH NATIONAL CONVENTION OF
THE CONFERENCE OF INTERPRETER TRAINERS). MONMOUTH, OR: CIT.
DEAN, R. K. & POLLARD, R. (2001). APPLICATION OF DEMAND- CONTROL THEORY TO
SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETING: IMPLICATIONS FOR STRESS AND INTERPRETER
TRAINING. JOURNAL OF DEAF STUDIES AND DEAF EDUCATION, 6(1), 1-14
*ALL IMAGES OPEN SOURCE THROUGH CANVA