American Psychological Association

History

The American Psychological Association (APA) was established in 1892 with 31 charter members. Its first president was G. Stanley Hall. The APA was originally a scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States. Over the years, the APA has grown to become the largest association of psychologists worldwide, with nearly 122,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students as its members.

Purpose and Goals

The APA's mission is to advance the creation, communication, and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve people's lives. This is achieved through the promotion of psychological science and practice, the dissemination of psychological research, and the establishment of professional standards for psychologists.

Organization and Structure

The APA is governed by a Council of Representatives and a Board of Directors. The Council is composed of representatives from divisions and state, provincial, and territorial psychological associations. The Board of Directors includes the president, president-elect, past president, and six members-at-large.

Divisions

The APA comprises 54 divisions, each representing a specific subfield of psychology. These divisions range from clinical psychology to experimental psychology, and from developmental psychology to social psychology. Each division has its own set of officers and often holds its own meetings and conferences.

Publications

The APA is a leading publisher in the field of psychology. It publishes numerous journals, books, and electronic resources, covering a wide range of psychological topics. Among its most well-known publications are the American Psychologist, Journal of Applied Psychology, and the Journal of Abnormal Psychology.

APA Style

The APA also developed the APA Style, a set of rules and conventions for writing, citing, and formatting academic papers. APA Style is widely used in the social and behavioral sciences, including psychology, sociology, economics, and criminology.

Controversies

Like any large organization, the APA has faced controversies. These have ranged from debates over the role of psychologists in military interrogations to discussions about the pathologization of certain behaviors and lifestyles.