Browse the online program to view session details, scheduling, and speakers.

NEW! This year’s program features six Integrative Science Symposia (ISS), each exploring complex scientific questions through research from multiple domains. You can expect to find cutting edge explorations of mental health, brain development, individual and collective cognition, language, culture, artificial intelligence (AI), polarization, and threats to democracy. 

Each Integrative Science Symposium (ISS) will have a linked Flash Talk session where authors will present their research in a 5-minute individual presentation and have time for Q&A and discussion. A Flash Talk is a 5-minute individual presentation delivered by a primary researcher in a particular area of psychological science. The Program Committee will accept 5 outstanding Flash Talks for each ISS. The ISS linked Flash Talk sessions will be scheduled immediately following each ISS. Please learn more about this submission type on the Flash Talk Rules and Guidelines webpage.

In addition, 3 Integrative Science Symposium (ISS) Flash Talk sessions will be followed by Invited Workshop sessions. Please find more details below.

Friday, 29 May, 2026

09:00 – 10:50 (9:00 AM – 10:50 AM) 

Towards a Novel Model of Mental Health Symposia Session

There is a general agreement that we need to move beyond traditional deficit-and illness-based models of mental health. We will explore how advances in basic knowledge, the translation of laboratory findings, and innovations in models of care are reshaping even the very concept of mental health. By integrating data-driven research, digital interventions, and insights into individual differences, we aim to advance a model that emphasizes proactive well-being, resilience, and optimal functioning.  

The discussion will highlight how an integrative and forward-looking approach—one that synthesizes psychological science, digital innovation, and personalized interventions—can contribute to a fundamental transformation of mental health systems and offer a comprehensive perspective on how mental health can be reconceptualized in the face of current and future demands.

Speakers:

• Claudi L.H. Bockting, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, The Netherlands
• Heleen M.M. Riper, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• Eiko I. Fried, Leiden University, The Netherlands

ISS Linked Flash Talk Session

11:15 – 12:15 (11:15 AM – 12:15 PM)

The ISS linked Flash Talks will be scheduled immediately following this ISS Symposia session.

Friday, 29 May, 2026

09:00 – 10:50 (9:00 AM – 10:50 AM)

Language, Culture, and Cognition Symposia Session

In this symposium, experts in psycholinguistics, cognitive and cultural psychology, and neuroscience will explore the dynamic interconnection between language, culture, and cognition. The focus will be on how culture influences cognitive processes such as memory or reasoning, how language impacts thought, and the neurocognitive mechanisms that underpin multilingualism. The symposium also includes a discussion on how AI systems can be developed to understand human language in its diverse cultural contexts.  

The goal for this symposium is to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and advance a more holistic understanding of the human mind as a culturally situated phenomenon. 

Speakers:

• Francesa Peressotti, Università di Padova, Italy
• Judith Kroll, University of California Irvine, USA
• Meriel Burnett and Mohammad Atari University of Massachusetts, USA
• Daniel Casasanto, Cornell University, USA

ISS Linked Flash Talk Session

11:15 – 12:15 (11:15 AM – 12:15 PM)

The ISS linked Flash Talks will be scheduled immediately following this ISS Symposia session.

Friday, 29 May, 2026

14:00 – 15:50 (2:00 PM – 3:50 PM)

How the Environment Shapes Neurocognitive Development Symposia Session  

This symposium convenes expertise from cognitive neuroscience, evolutionary, developmental, and educational psychology to explore how brain and cognitive development are shaped by the continuous interaction between an individual’s genetic predispositions and their surrounding environment.  

We will discuss what environmental factors contribute to shaping brain function and structure, and ultimately human cognitive abilities. 

Speakers:

• Rosario Rueda, Universidad de Granada, Spain
• Eveline Crone, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands
• Jérôme Prado, French National Centre for Scientific Research, France
• Martha Farah, University of Pennsylvania, USA

ISS Linked Flash Talk Session

16:15 – 17:15 (4:15 PM – 5:15 PM)

The ISS linked Flash Talks will be scheduled immediately following this ISS Symposia session.

Friday, 29 May, 2026

14:00 – 15:50 (2:00 PM – 3:50 PM) 

The Reciprocal Dynamics of Individual and Collective Cognition Symposia Session  

Is cognition a purely individual process? This symposium examines cognition as a dynamic system that bridges individuals and groups. Experts from psychology and neuroscience will explore how shared experiences influence individual memory, decision-making, and belief formation. Furthermore, we will highlight cognitive phenomena that emerge exclusively within group contexts, such as the wisdom of crowds and social learning processes, and examine how these processes unfold in online ecosystems. The aim is to advance a more integrated model of cognition that moves beyond simplistic models of social influence. 

Speakers:

• Suparna Rajaram, Stony Brook University, USA
• Karl Szpunar, Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada
• Carolyn Parkinson, University of California Los Angeles, USA
• Björn Lindström, Karolinska Institute, Sweden

ISS Linked Flash Talk Session

16:15 – 17:15 (4:15 PM – 5:15 PM)

The ISS linked Flash Talks will be scheduled immediately following this ISS Symposia session.

ISS Linked Workshop: Agent-Based Simulations

17:30 – 19:00 (5:30 PM – 7:00 PM)

The ISS linked Workshop session will be scheduled immediately following the ISS Flash Talks session.

Saturday, 30 May, 2026

14:00 – 15:50 (2:00 PM – 3:50 PM)

Safeguarding Democracy: Polarization, Populism, and Post-Truth Symposia Session

Why do citizens support leaders who undermine democratic institutions? Recent research suggests that authoritarian leaders mobilize followers through identity-based appeals, deploy gendered imagery, and exploit online platforms to spread their message, where algorithms and user preferences amplify hostile and moralized content. Interventions such as fact-checks and polarization-reduction strategies—including personalized approaches powered by large language models—demonstrate measurable benefits, yet their effects often fade in divisive media environments.  

This symposium examines these dynamics and considers how democracies can build lasting resilience in the face of evolving authoritarian tactics. 

Speakers:

• Jay Van Bavel, New York University, USA
• Renée DiResta, Georgetown University, USA
• Christina Pagel, University College London, United Kingdom
• Alexander Haslam, The University of Queensland, Australia

ISS Linked Flash Talk Session

16:15 – 17:15 (4:15 PM – 5:15 PM)

The ISS linked Flash Talks will be scheduled immediately following this ISS Symposia session.

ISS Linked Workshop: Leveraging Large Language Models to Study Democracy-Related Questions

17:30 – 19:00 (5:30 PM – 7:00 PM)

The ISS linked Workshop session will be scheduled immediately following this ISS Flash Talks session.

Saturday, 30 May, 2026

14:00 – 15:50 (2:00 PM – 3:50 PM)

Self-Consciousness, Embodiment, and Social Interactions in Humans and Artificial Agents Symposia Session

From experiments in immersive virtual reality to studies of bodily awareness, new research highlights how embodiment underpins self-consciousness and social perception. Studies show that interoceptive and somatosensory cues—such as heartbeat-linked signals—influence how trustworthy we find other people, while shifts in bodily awareness and perspective-taking reveal how fragile and malleable our sense of self can be. As artificial agents become social partners, the challenge is to understand how trust and mental state attribution, long rooted in embodied human interaction, can be extended to machines—and what this means for the future of human–AI relationships.  

Speakers:

• Tony Prescott, The University of Sheffield, United Kingdom
• Agnieszka Wykowska, Italian Institute of Technology, Italy
• Anna Ciaunica, University of Lisbon, Portugal
• Kathryn Hirsh-Pasek, Temple University, USA

ISS Linked Flash Talk Session

16:15 – 17:15 (4:15 PM – 5:15 PM)

The ISS linked Flash Talks will be scheduled immediately following this ISS Symposia session.

ISS Linked Workshop: Liminal Bodies, Illusory Selves

17:30 – 19:00 (5:30 PM – 7:00 PM)

The ISS linked Workshop session will be scheduled immediately following this ISS Flash Talks session.