By Dr. Gwendolyn P. Keita (Exec. Director, Public Interest)
Greetings! Welcome to the Psychology Benefits Society blog – a new initiative from the American Psychological Association’s Public Interest (PI) directorate. I’m Dr. Gwendolyn Keita (call me Gwen) – PI’s Executive Director and I have the honor of writing the inaugural post. So, here goes!
Why should the world care about public interest psychology? I believe that psychology has immense power to improve people’s lives. Too many people are oblivious to how it can help solve their problems. From preventing violence and abuse to dealing with an aging population, from coping and living with HIV/AIDS to managing work-related stress – psychology has invaluable input to give.
Public Interest is committed to disseminating science that informs and educates about a wide variety of health and social justice issues; immigration, same-sex marriage, diversity, health disparities, socioeconomic status, just to name a few. For just a taste of what we have accomplished in the last year, check out our annual report.
Our staff works hard to address the needs and concerns of diverse constituencies. They and I take PI’s role in fulfilling APA’s mission to “benefit society and improve people’s lives” very seriously. To carry psychology’s message far and wide – that our science contributes to society – the blog will:
- Provide fresh, frequent coverage of psychological research that addresses health and social justice issues
- Highlight PI activities, programs, publications and resources that speak to our mission
- Feature testimonials from public interest psychologists on why they do the work they do
- Identify and discuss public policy in which psychology plays a role
- Offer opportunities for training, fellowships, membership in APA governance and more
As we launch this blog, your feedback and engagement will be essential. Feel free to comment on our posts and share them with your friends or colleagues. Subscribe to our newsletter and RSS feed.
You can also connect with us on social media:
Facebook:
American Psychological Association
Behavioral Social Science Volunteers
Effective Providers for Child Victims of Violence
SES-Related Cancer Disparities
Twitter:
American Psychological Association
Dr. Gwendolyn Keita (Public Interest)
Psychology Benefits Society 