Applying Psychological Science, Benefiting Society
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.
Welcome to In Case You Missed It, our weekly roundup of articles related to psychology, health and mental health, social justice and the public interest. This week, our stories include what the Germanwings crash tells us about mental health screening of pilots, controversial anti-gay legislation signed by the Indiana Governor, the emotional impact of college admissions […]
By Roberta Downing, PhD (Senior Legislative and Federal Affairs Officer, APA Public Interest Directorate – Government Relations Office) We are at risk of losing crucial data about some of the poorest, most vulnerable families in America. A new interpretation of a budget rule ended research funding for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and […]
This post continues our new blog series on poverty. As our nation reflects on its progress in fighting poverty over the last 50 years, this blog series will highlight how psychology can contribute further to this discussion. By Dionne Jones, PhD (Member, APA Committee on Socioeconomic Status) A New York Times article once stated, “It’s too bad […]
By Roberta Downing, PhD (Senior Legislative and Federal Affairs Officer, APA Public Interest Directorate – Government Relations Office) There are millions of unemployed workers who cannot get hired in the current job market. Of the 10.4 million Americans who are currently unemployed, 3.9 million have been unemployed for more than 27 weeks.[i] These workers face the […]
By Roberta Downing, PhD (Senior Legislative and Federal Affairs Officer, APA Public Interest Directorate – Government Relations Office) Today marks the 50th anniversary of President Lyndon Johnson’s declaration of a “War on Poverty,” an effort to end poverty among all Americans. This anniversary has already sparked debate amongst policymakers about the impact that this sweeping initiative […]
By Roberta Downing, PhD (Senior Legislative and Federal Affairs Officer, APA Public Interest Directorate – Government Relations Office) This holiday season won’t be a cheerful one for over a million unemployed Americans. On December 28th, 1.3 million jobless people will face a harsh cutoff of unemployment insurance. Another 3.5 million workers will be cut off […]
By Lisa Bowleg, PhD (Professor of Applied Social Psychology, George Washington University) “What does unemployment have to do with HIV risk?” I might have naively asked that question when I began my career as an applied social psychologist and HIV prevention researcher 15 years ago. Because the individual is typically the unit of analysis in […]
Psychology Benefits Society 