News Release

UC-Berkeley's Levenson Elected APS President

Robert W. Levenson has been elected president of the American Psychological Society. APS is the leading organization of academic psychologists in the United States and is devoted to scientific psychology. The Society has more than 13,000 members, publishes three highly regarded journals, and is recognized as a leading voice in Washington, DC, for psychological science.

Levenson is a widely recognized researcher in the field of psychological variations of emotion associated with age, neuropathology, culture and gender. Specifically, Levenson's research group has focused on examining the emotional, behavioral and physiological signs that will enable predictions of a married couple's relationship satisfaction, and is also researching normative changes in emotion that occur with the progression of age. Levenson's research includes studies on emotion, emotion regulation, and emotional empathy within the context of culture and ethnicity. Most recently he has been studying the impact of neurodegenerative disorders (such as frontotemporal lobar degeneration and Alzheimer's disease), and orbitofrontal brain injury on emotional functioning, socio-emotional behavior, and personality.

"I am enormously honored to be elected to the presidency of APS," Levenson said. "These are exciting times for psychological scientists as we apply new tools and new theoretical insights to deepen our understanding of the mysteries of human behavior. Since its inception, APS has assumed a critical role in advocacy and support for psychological science. I am really looking forward to the opportunity to work with the APS officers, staff, and members as we continue to pursue these goals and work to advance our science."

Levenson is a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley and has published numerous articles and chapters. He is also director of the Institute for Personality and Social Research and director of the Predoctoral Training Consortium in Affective Science.

Levenson's three-year term on the board includes a year each as president-elect, president and immediate past-president. Also elected to the APS Board of Directors are Nancy Eisenberg, Arizona State University, and John P. Campbell, the University of Minnesota.

The American Psychological Society's mission focuses on the advancement of research and science-based psychology in the public interest. For more information about the APS, go online to www.psychologicalscience.org.

• APS Home
• About APS
• Contact APS
• Join APS
• Privacy Policy