Psychology Benefits Society

Recent Posts

October 24, 2018March 21, 2019Administrator

Psychologists, Make Your Voice Heard Beyond the Ballot Box

The midterm elections are over, and we all know that voting is a vital means to make our voices heard. But it’s not the only way. Psychologists have the expertise, skills, and opportunity to engage in needed and productive advocacy to advance the issues that are important to us, both locally and nationally.

This advocacy includes meeting with elected representatives to express concerns and support for initiatives. Meeting with your representatives may seem like a daunting and intimidating task if you’ve never done it before, but APA offers useful online advocacy training, tools, and a variety of resources to help you prepare for your meetings

October 17, 2018Administrator

25 Ways Psychologists Can Work to End Poverty

Today marks the 25th anniversary of the declaration of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. In 2018, poverty is defined as living on an annual income of less than $12,140 for an individual and $25,100 for a family of four in the contiguous United States (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2018). While these numbers reflect Americans living in poverty as a whole, they do not adequately capture the millions living in deep poverty. Psychologists are vital to the effort of eradicating poverty – here are 25 ways they can help.

October 8, 2018October 9, 2018Administrator

Don’t Take It Personally – Really

As a healer are you grounded to be present with pain? Can you be comfortable being on the outside of a group and still maintain your self-confidence? What is the preferred terminology when addressing the original people of this land? Is it OK to say “Indian”? Do you know the history of the people you serve?

October 1, 2018November 15, 2019Administrator

Six Essential Lessons You Learn from Working on Capitol Hill as an APA Congressional Fellow

By Meghann Galloway, PhD & Laura Knudtson, PhD (2017-2018 APA Congressional Fellows) Pinch me… is this a dream? Am I really here? Did I actually just ride the elevator with Bernie Sanders? Was Lisa Murkowski ahead of me in line for coffee? The novelty of working as an APA Congressional Fellow in the United States […]

September 26, 2018Administrator

A Good Night’s Rest is More Important Than Beauty Sleep: 5 Ways to Improve Sleep for Healthy Aging

For aging adults, declining quality of sleep and difficulty sleeping through the night are common problems. Sleep is an essential biological process, and good sleep is important to our overall mental and physical wellbeing. Researchers find that changes in circadian rhythm, the body’s internal clock for cycles like eating and sleeping, can cause changes as we age

September 6, 2018Administrator

Black Boys and Men Face Daunting Odds, Here’s How We Can Promote Their Resilience and Future Success

When my son was just eight weeks and two days into his gestational period, I settled my anxiety of giving birth to a Black male. The night before I gave birth, unlike his twin sister, he was hovered up into the corner of my womb and his heart rate had begun to slow down. That following morning, he was born. Now 20, my Black son has dreams and aspirations but there is the threat of death in the air.

August 27, 2018Administrator

How Science and Socioeconomics Impacts a Mother’s “Choice” to Breastfeed

did whatever I thought would provide the best start for my daughter and cement me as a “good mom”. And as a young 21-year-old, unmarried, Black mother I felt even more pressure to prove this to others since I knew my age, amongst other things, unfortunately said otherwise to some people. Absent the knowledge and support of any family or friends that breastfed their children, I did my research and decided to breastfeed my daughter and enrolled in WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, infants, and Children). I was doing what I was thought was best for my daughter while simultaneously, purposefully performing an act that I thought would shatter anyone’s doubt that I could be a good, competent parent.

August 23, 2018August 23, 2018Administrator

Why We Need to Act Now to Address the Harmful Effects of Unemployment on Black Millennial Men

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for Black males between ages 20 and 24 is more than double the national average for this age group (14.3% vs. 7.1%). The APA report on “Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic and Sexual Minority Boys & Men” prompted a deeper focus on how these employment disparities lead to adverse health impacts, specifically amongst Black millennial men. An APA fact sheet examines this narrowed topic.

August 17, 2018August 17, 2018Administrator

[CROSS-POST] Apply Community Psychology Principles to Reduce Carbon Emissions: A Call to Action

The profound implications of climate change present a grave global crisis that justifies urgent action by all Community Psychologists, organizations, and citizens concerned about climate change.

August 14, 2018August 17, 2018Administrator

Stop the Abuse: Why We Can’t Neglect Women with Disabilities When We Talk about Interpersonal Violence

The #MeToo movement has elevated the conversation about women and violence. However, there is one population that often gets neglected from that conversation: women with disabilities. How prevalent is interpersonal violence in women with disabilities?
Women with disabilities have higher rates of experiencing interpersonal violence (e.g., physical violence, rape/sexual violence, stalking, psychological aggression, and control of sexual/reproductive health) than women without disabilities.