Morals refer to values that people have accorded to a certain system of beliefs and customs. In most cases, morals can be found in religious systems, as well as political systems that have some set of beliefs. The authority of morals emanates from forces outside an individual; this includes a supernatural being or a higher authority such as society. Values refer to the core beliefs that people have. They encompass principles that help in defining what is just, good, right, or wrong. Values can be regarded as the standards that provide guidelines on what is bad or good, as well as what is wrong or right. Values, ethics, and morals relate to one another since the three concepts play a crucial role in providing the acceptable rules of behavior. The other similarity between the three concepts is that they define the interactions that people have in society. Interactions in society borrow a lot from the values, ethics, and morals that the society upholds (Navran, 2010).
Despite the similarities between these concepts, there tends to be certain differences that exist between them. Values encompass the beliefs that may be held by a certain social group. On the other hand, morals tend to be broader than values, and they may entail beliefs that have a wider acceptance than values. Ethics have a professional and formal perspective since they can be regarded as norms codified into a certain formal system. Ethics encompass internally adopted and defined rules; for example, there can be medical ethics in the field of medicine. Morals tend to be external, and they can be imposed on people (Navran, 2010). Personal ethics play a crucial role in the field of forensic psychology. Since personal ethics encompass a person’s personal judgment, it is crucial to address their importance in forensic psychology. Personal ethics are crucial in forensic psychology since they determine how a forensic psychologist will handle legal issues in a case. It is crucial to know the boundary between personal ethics and the extent to which legal issues should be addressed.