Code of Conduct

The Society for the Improvement of Psychological Science (SIPS) aims to provide a harassment-free event experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity, gender expression, race, ethnicity, caste, national origin, citizen status, age, sexual orientation, disability, appearance, body size, religion, socioeconomic status, other group status, or their intersection. We do not tolerate harassment of event participants in any form. Event participants violating these rules may be sanctioned, including being expelled without a refund.

Purpose and Scope

This purpose of this code of conduct is to protect SIPS event participants from harm. “Participants” are any people present at a SIPS event, regardless of registration or membership status. “Events” include conferences (both organized activities and associated informal activities like going out to dinner), preconferences, meetups, online platforms controlled by SIPS, and other activities organized or sponsored by SIPS.

This code of conduct may also apply to unacceptable behavior that occurs outside of SIPS events when such behavior has the potential to create a hostile climate for participants at SIPS events.

Unacceptable Behaviors

Unacceptable behaviors include the following:

  • Intimidating, harassing, lewd, demeaning, bullying, stalking, or threatening speech or actions
  • Unwelcome sexual attention
  • Unwelcome physical contact
  • Any real or implied threat of physical harm
  • Sustained disruption of speakers or events (verbally or physically)
  • Retaliation against an individual for reporting harassment or other unacceptable behaviors or for participating in an investigation of such a claim
  • Advocating or encouraging any of the above behaviors

Consequences

Participants who are asked to stop any unacceptable behavior are expected to comply immediately.

Potential consequences for violations of this code of conduct include, but are not limited to: warning the offender, expulsion from the conference with no refund, banning from future events, and denying or revoking membership with no refund.

How to Make a Report

You can report a suspected code of conduct violation to any member of the SIPS Code of Conduct Committee, the Executive Committee, or event organizers. (For the annual conference, “event organizers” are the members of the program and logistics committees.)

You may also make a report anonymously through our online form here: https://is.gd/SIPS_CoC

All reports will be passed along to the Code of Conduct Committee, who will decide on appropriate action.

Recusal

Code of Conduct Committee members and any others responsible for enacting or overseeing this policy will recuse themselves if they have a significant conflict of interest, such as being a specific target of harassment, an alleged harasser, or having a close personal or professional relationship with a target or alleged harasser.

Sources

This code of conduct uses language and concepts adapted from:

Aurora, V., & Gardiner, M. (2019). How to Respond to Code of Conduct Reports. https://files.frameshiftconsulting.com/books/cocguide.pdf

adopted October, 2019