In 1988, a group of psychologists with a scientific focus created the American Psychological Society, later renamed to the Association for Psychological Science. Their goal was to advance scientific psychology nationally and internationally, and they’ve been striving to do just that for more than twenty years. The Association hopes that by advancing the interest in psychology, they will be able to further their aims and provide better services for patients thanks to research and work done by their members.

Membership in the APS

The APS currently has around 23,000 members, and many of those members are top psychological scientists. In addition, members include researchers, academics, administrators, clinicians, and teachers. Becoming a member of the APS comes with some very nice benefits.

When you are a member, you will have access to online and print subscriptions of many different publications. You will receive Psychological Science (12 issues), Current Directions in Psychological Science (6 issues), Psychological Science in the Public Interest (3 issues), Perspectives on Psychological Science (6 issues), and the Observer (10 issues).

Members of the APS will also have discounts for registration at the APS Annual Convention. The convention is a great place for psychologists to network with others in the profession, and it’s a great time to learn about the latest research in the field and listen to some of the top psychologists speak. You will be able to present your own research as well.

You will have several different options when it comes to the type of memberships that you will be able to choose from. Those who want to be a full APS Member will need to have a doctoral degree in psychology or a related field from an accredited institution, or you will have to show evidence of contributions to psychology. The cost of this membership is $194.

However, people will be able to choose other options in terms of membership. The lifetime membership is $5,000, the retired membership is $109, and the retired membership with no print journals is $37. Those who have their PhD and are in their postdoctoral research will be able to qualify for the Postdoc membership at $109. A first year PhD membership for $109 and a Member-Spouse rate is $94. Keep in mind that the spouse would still have to qualify to be a member of the APS. A graduate student affiliate membership is $76, and an undergraduate student affiliate is $37 per year. As you can see, it is possible to find a membership for just about everyone who is in this field.

Awards and Honors from the APS

The APS also offer awards for the accomplishments of the members that have “made outstanding contributions to the advancement of psychological science”. Members will even receive discounted subscriptions on more than 50 different journals, and have access to teaching tips and even employment listings on the site.

Please visit http://www.psychologicalscience.org/ for more information about the Association for Psychological Science (APS).