Founded in July of 1892, the American Psychological Association is the standard by which most of the other psychological societies, groups, and organizations are judged. This storied organization began at Clark University with a mere 31 members, and today it has more than 154,000 members in 54 different subfields of psychology. The APA is the largest association of psychologists in the world, and it’s easy to see why membership in this community is important for your career. Whether you are a forensic psychologist or a clinical psychologist, you will definitely want to become a member of the group.

What is the Mission of the American Psychological Association?

The main mission of the APA is to “advance the creation, communication, and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve peoples’ lives”. By offering a united front and a base for which the field is going to be able to grow and expand, the APA is able to gather all of the resources and information that psychologists need. This will further the training and education of these psychologists, which will then help the APA to further the goals of their mission statement.

Over the years, the APA has become the leading advocate when it comes to psychological knowledge and practice, and it continues to make great strides in these areas. The APA is possibly the most recognized organization in psychology today.

Becoming a Member of the APA

If you are a psychologist of any subject, you want to be a member of the APA. You will benefit from many personal and professional discounts. You will have up to 60% off journal subscriptions, 30% off videos, discounts on books, and discounts on the annual convention. You will also receive subscriptions to The American Psychologist and Monitor on Psychology. Of course, one of the best things about being a member of the organization is the knowledge that you are a part of the largest group of psychologists in the world, and you will have many great networking opportunities. The workshops and lectures at the annual meetings are also valuable and are enjoyed by members.

You can join the APA at varying levels. Full members are those who are full psychologists, but many other types of memberships from which people will be able to choose are available as well. They offer associate, international affiliate, student, high school student, teacher memberships, and more. There are memberships available to most people who are in the field, or who are considering entering the field.

Forensic Psychology and the APA

As a forensic psychologist, you will likely want to be a member of this prestigious organization. It offers networking opportunities, conventions with lectures, and support when you need it. The APA is a great option no matter what are of psychology you have as your specialty. When you do become a member, make sure you take advantage of all of the different benefits that your membership offers you.

Please visit http://www.apa.org/ for more information about The American Psychological Association.