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Professional organizations

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Professional Psychology: Debating Chamber · Psychology Journals · Psychologists

A professional organization (also called a professional body, professional association, or professional society) is a non-profit organization seeking to further a particular profession, the interests of individuals engaged in that profession, and the public interest.

The roles of these professional associations have been variously defined: "A group of people in a learned occupation who are entrusted with maintaining control or oversight of the legitimate practice of the occupation;"[How to reference and link to summary or text] also a body acting "to safeguard the public interest;"[How to reference and link to summary or text] organizations which "represent the interest of the professional practitioners," and so "act to maintain their own privileged and powerful position as a controlling body."[1]


Therefore, in certain dispute situations the balance between these two aims may get tipped more in favor of protecting and defending the professionals than in protecting the public. An example can be used to illustrate this. In a dispute between a psychologist and his/her client or between a patient and his/her doctor, the professional bodies will inevitably find themselves in a conflict of interest in (a) their wish to defend the interests of the client, while also (b) wishing to defend the interests, status and privileges of the professional.



Legal functions Edit


Inter-professional associationsEdit



  1. Professional body at Analytic Quality Glossary
  2. Coronel, C. & Liagre, L. 2006 [1], Les interprofessions agroalimentaires en France. Ministère Français des Affaires Etrangères, Paris.
  3. Shepherd, Andrew W. [2]Commodity Associations - A tool for supply chain development? FAO, Rome

See also Edit

External linksEdit


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