Applied Psychology

Our purpose: Our staff working on applied psychology have two primary goals. First, we strive to foster and promote the application of psychological science. Second, we strive to engage and create community among the diverse group of psychological and behavioral scientists who apply psychological research methods and findings in their work.

Our foundation: Science is the foundation of our work.

Our focus: We focus on those areas of psychological and behavioral science that aim to enhance human potential, performance, and well-being by improving governmental and organizational policies and practices, improving products and services, and contributing to solutions for local and global societal problems.

Our audience and stakeholders: Our primary audience and stakeholders are psychological and behavioral scientists, including members of the American Psychological Association and students who are aspiring scientists. Our broader audience and stakeholders include decision-makers and members of the public who may benefit from psychologically informed policies, programs, products, and services. We strive to make psychological science accessible and understandable to all those who may benefit from its application.

How we work: Our work is collaborative and inclusive. We work with all subdisciplines of applied psychology, and we create opportunities for the interdisciplinary application of psychological science. We also seek to elevate the public’s understanding of, and regard for, applied psychological science. That effort includes advocating for psychological scientists in close collaboration with colleagues in APA Advocacy (American Psychological Services, Inc.) to inform business and government of the value that applied psychology and applied psychologists can bring to the table. We champion applied psychology through multiple diverse channels, including presentations, media engagements, articles, seminars, and congressional briefings, as just a few examples. Throughout all our work, we strive for tangible real-world impact.