Psychology department

Professional Organizations in Psychology

The two major professional organizations for psychologists are:

There are 53 Divisions of the APA; each one is devoted to a specialty area. For example, see links for Divisions 14, 38, and 44 below.

Association for Psychological Science (APS)

The primary organization for Psychiatry (those who hold an M.D. and specialize in psychopathology) is:

American Psychiatric Association

The following listing is of resources you might find useful. It includes societies that serve professionals within subfields of psychology as well as other informational sites.

(Note: Some descriptions were excerpted from the websites themselves.)

Body-Images - This is Thomas Cash's website, a foremost expert on research on body image. It is an excellent resource for body image research and a link to the journal Body Image: An International Journal of Research.

Cognitive Development Society - This is a group of scholars/professionals who are interested in cognitive development in all stages of life, human and nonhuman, typical and atypical. It publishes Journal of Cognition and Development.

Health Psychology - This is the site for Division 38 of the APA. It is the official website for those APA members who specialize in health psychology and is designed to facilitate collaboration among all professionals interested in the psychological and behavioral aspects of physical and mental health.

Mind and Life Institute - This institute is dedicated to the integration of Buddhist practice and psychological science.

The Molecular and Cellular Cognition Society - The Molecular and Cellular Cognition Society (MCCS) is an international organization intended to facilitate interchanges among laboratories in the field of Molecular and Cellular Cognition. The other two key goals of the Society are to promote the study of the molecular and cellular basis of cognitive function, and to educate the general public on key findings in the field, including their limitations and implications for health and society

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine - NCCAM is the National Institute of Health's website for research on alternative medicine.

New York Academy of Science - The third-oldest scientific society in the United States, the Academy has become not only a notable and enduring cultural institution in New York City, but also one of the most significant organizations in the international scientific community. The Academy has a three-pronged mission: to advance scientific knowledge, to help resolve the major global challenges facing society with science-based solutions, and to increase the number of scientifically informed individuals.

Psychonomic Society - The Psychonomic Society is based upon the communication of scientific research in psychology and allied sciences. It provides a venue for the exchange of information among its members through conferences and journal publications.

Society for Applied Research in Memory & Cognition - SARMAC fosters applied research in memory and cognition and promotes the communication of this research within and between the applied and basic research communities. It publishes the journals Applied Cognitive Psychology and Cognitive Technology.

Society for Industrial/Organizational Psychology - SIOP is Division 14 of the APA. It is the main professional organization for both academic and practicing I/O psychologists.

Society for Neuroscience - SfN promotes education about the latest advances in brain research, their experimental and clinical implications, and the relationship between these matters and the public good.

Society for Occupational Health Psychology - SOHP is a new professional organization that is oriented to academics and practitioners in various disciplines who are interested in promoting safe and healthy workplaces.

Society for Personality and Social Psychology - SPSP is the largest organization of social and personality psychologists in the world. The goals of the society are to further the generation and dissemination of research in social and personality psychology.

Society for Research in Child Development - SRCD is a large professional organization of about 5,000 members whose goal is to "promote interdisciplinary research in the field of human development." It publishes the journal Child Development.

Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Issues - SPSLGB is Division 44 of the APA. It focuses on the diversity of human sexual orientations by supporting research, promoting relevant education, and affecting professional and public policy.

Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues - SPSSI is an international group of allied scientists, students, and others who share a common interest in research on the psychological aspects of important social issues.

The Archives of the History of American Psychology - AHAP was established at the University of Akron to promote research in the history of psychology by collecting, cataloguing, and preserving the historical record. Some materials are accessible on-line at this site.