Applying Psychological Science, Benefiting Society
Through a very complete body of research, the field of psychology has established that a person’s identity is composed of several different parts. However, psychological research projects often only focus on one or two aspects of identity. As we move towards a more complete picture of human behavior, we must remember to keep in mind that the intersections of identity are a vital piece of that picture.
Longstanding tensions between police and communities of color have reached a boiling point in the United States. If we are to heal as nation, we must first acknowledge and move beyond entrenched societal stereotypes that reduce people of color, particularly black men, to suspected criminals who should be feared.
By Meagan Sweeney, MA (Graduate Intern, APA Office of Socioeconomic Status) There is a social convention to not talk about money. We consider it rude to discuss differences in income, education, or spending ability, even among our close friends. While that rule of thumb may work at the family dinner table or office water cooler, […]
By David Martin, PhD, ABPP (Senior Director, APA Office on AIDS) The Office on AIDS is pleased to have played a small supporting role in the publication of the just-released special issue of Behavioral Medicine, in which six articles on HIV and aging were published this month. These articles represent an important extension of existing knowledge […]
Are you a psychologist, social scientist or mental health professional who works on issues related to poverty? Here’s an opportunity for you to be a contributor to our blog. The APA Office on Socioeconomic Status has issued an open call for poverty-related blog post submissions. 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the War on Poverty and […]
By Clinton W. Anderson, PhD (Associate Executive Director, APA Public Interest Directorate) Deaths and injuries from firearms pose a substantial risk to public health. Firearms are involved in more than 50% of suicides and 70% of homicides. There are more than 30,000 firearm fatalities each year and more than 80,000 non-fatal firearm injuries requiring emergency medical […]
By Michael Southam-Gerow, PhD (APA Committee on Children, Youth, and Families) More than 4 million children and teens have a serious mental disorder, but only 20 percent are getting the help they need. Did you know that it takes more than 15 years for an evidence-based treatment (EBT) to be used consistently in the community? […]
By Mary Ann McCabe, PhD (Chair, APA Interdivisional Task Force on Child and Adolescent Mental Health) The economic costs to society of ignoring child mental health are staggering. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (2009) estimates that childhood mental disorders account for the largest category of spending of health dollars for children (ages 0-17). […]
Psychology Benefits Society 