Hot Topic Sessions are small group discussions led by Convention attendees to engage and connect with other researchers who share similar interests. Check out the full schedule of sessions below.

Meet the Editor: Clinical Psychological Science

Wednesday, May 26 12:00 – 12:30 PM EDT (-4 UTC)

Jennifer L. Tackett, Northwestern University, USA

Meet the Editor of “Clinical Psychological Science” to ask questions and learn more about the journal in a small group discussion. This journal publishes advances in clinical science and provides a venue for cutting-edge research across a wide range of conceptual views, approaches, and topics.

Meet the Editor: Psychological Science in the Public Interest

Wednesday, May 26 12:00 – 12:30 PM EDT (-4 UTC)

Nora Newcombe, Temple University, USA

Meet the Editor of “Psychological Science in the Public Interest” (PSPI) to ask questions and learn more about the journal in a small group discussion. PSPI is a unique journal featuring comprehensive and compelling reviews of issues that are of direct relevance to the general public. These reviews are written by blue-ribbon teams of specialists representing a range of viewpoints and are intended to assess the current state of the science on a particular topic.

Beyond the Mean: How to Capture Within-Person Dynamics

Wednesday, May 26 12:00 – 12:30 PM EDT (-4 UTC)

Zlatan Krizan, Iowa State University, USA

Psychological science relies on a set of statistical assumptions and traditional tools that prioritize averages, trends, and tendencies. However, increasing ease of intense monitoring, alongside mathematical advances, has produced evidence that challenges the notion that individuals’ functioning can be adequately captured by single estimates, or that such estimates can predict a given individual’s behavior. As a result, a novel view on complexity and dynamics of psychological processes is emerging, a view which embraces, rather than neutralizes, universal and substantive variability in psycho social responses over time, place, and individual. This view also challenges core statistical assumptions that underpin most of psychological science. This session will consider both the substantive questions about non-linear dynamics and their impact on studying change over time, as well as practical consideration of how to approach the study of psycho-behavioral variability.

Investigating Established Adulthood: Development from 30-45

Wednesday, May 26 12:00 – 12:30 PM EDT (-4 UTC)

Clare Mehta, Emmanuel College, USA

In the USA the years from ages 30 to around 45 may be the most intense, demanding, and rewarding years of adult life, when demands of work, intimate partnerships, and caring for others intersect. Successes or difficulties in meeting these simultaneous demands may influence the direction of a person’s adult life. Consequently, we believe that it is crucial to better understand this developmental period that we call established adulthood. This hot topic session will bring together those interested in further exploring this newly conceptualized period of development, providing a venue to discuss the conceptualization of this period, and current and future research directions.

Compassions as an Antidote to Stress

Wednesday, May 26 12:00 – 12:30 PM EDT (-4 UTC)

Maureen Dionysian, Grand Canyon University, USA

Compassion is at the heart of all medical care. As frontline healthcare providers have struggled during the pandemic, accelerated rates of burnout have emerged. However, Zaki (2020) notes that “catastrophe compassion” in the aftermath of disaster could lower psychological barriers and stress through deep connectivity, community, and the mutual help of others.

Being A Values-Driven Psychologist

Wednesday, May 26 12:00 – 12:30 PM EDT (-4 UTC)

Okie Nwakanma, Fordham University, USA

Struggling to find your place in the field? Feeling overwhelmed by the pressure to “publish or perish”? You’re not alone. Join this session to discuss ways to bring and maintain our authentic selves in academia.

Trying to Keep up with the Benefits and Pitfalls of Social Media When Social Media Keeps Changing

Wednesday, May 26 12:00 – 12:30 PM EDT (-4 UTC)

Malinda Desjarlais, Mount Royal University, USA

As what’s popular in social media rapidly changes, researchers struggle to effectively assess how users benefit and are disadvantaged by particular social media use. Conclusions surrounding the impact of social media have changed because of differences in what’s popular: today versus a decade ago, from country to country, or across developmental stages. Therefore, it is crucial to determine methods to study social media’s impact that may withstand changes in platforms in order to ensure proper recommendations for policies and furthering our understanding of human-computer interaction. This discussion will focus on: is there a way we can study social media that withstands the nuances of particular social media platforms?

Zoom: The new ubiquity of videoconferencing

Wednesday, May 26 12:00 – 12:30 PM EDT (-4 UTC)

Cheng Yu, University of Texas at San Antonio, USA

Michael R. Baumann, University of Texas at San Antonio, USA

Hot Topic Sessions are small group discussions led by Convention attendees to engage and connect with other researchers who share similar interests. This discussion will focus on “Zoom: The new ubiquity of videoconferencing.”

Fake News: The spread of misinformation

Wednesday, May 26 12:00 – 12:30 PM EDT (-4 UTC)

Dustin P. Calvillo, California State University, San Marcos, USA

Hot Topic Sessions are small group discussions led by Convention attendees to engage and connect with other researchers who share similar interests. This discussion will focus on “Fake News: The spread of misinformation.”

APS Student Diversity Registration Award Networking

Wednesday, May 26 12:00 – 12:30 PM EDT (-4 UTC)

Grab a cup of coffee and join other recipients of the APS Student Diversity Registration Award for an informal networking session. Make new connections, meet potential collaborators, and share your research interests – or just chat about your current Netflix binge.

Meet the Editor: Current Directions in Psychological Science

Wednesday, May 26 7:00 – 7:30 PM EDT (-4 UTC)

Robert L. Goldstone, Indiana University, USA

Meet the Editor of “Current Directions in Psychological Science” to ask questions and learn more about the journal in a small group discussion. This journal publishes reviews by leading experts covering all of scientific psychology and its applications. “Current Directions” articles allow readers to stay apprised of important developments across subfields beyond their areas of expertise and bodies of research they might not otherwise be aware of.

Meet the New APS Executive Director

Wednesday, May 26 7:00 – 7:30 PM EDT (-4 UTC)

Robert Gropp, Association for Psychological Science

APS is developing a strategic plan. In this small-group session, meet APS Executive Director Robert Gropp and share your input about the organization, the big issues confronting psychological science over the next 5 years, and how APS can best serve its members and the larger psychological science community.

Cognitive Training in Dementia: Help the Helpless

Wednesday, May 26 7:00 – 7:30 PM EDT (-4 UTC)

Swati Bajpai, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India

Considering the clear pathophysiology of the Alzheimer’s disease, and the paucity of the pharmacological interventions, it becomes pivotal to have empirical non-pharmacological interventions. The cognitive training interventions are the ray of hope for delaying the progression in the persons with dementia. The need of the cognitive training interventions in the world is as high as the number of person with dementia is increasing. However, very few get published due to lack of methodological limitations. So, here we discuss few indigenised cognitive training programs and its efficacy. My motive here is to spread awareness among the caregivers of dementia and help the helpless improving the quality of life.

Sexual Harassment and Violence

Wednesday, May 26 7:00 – 7:30 PM EDT (-4 UTC)

Caroline Boyd-Rogers, University of Iowa, USA

Hot Topic Sessions are small group discussions led by Convention attendees to engage and connect with other researchers who share similar interests. This discussion will focus on “Sexual Harassment and Violence.”

Memory in forensics: Eyewitness and lineup procedures

Wednesday, May 26 7:00 – 7:30 PM EDT (-4 UTC)

Anne S. Yilmaz, University of California, San Diego, USA

Hot Topic Sessions are small group discussions led by Convention attendees to engage and connect with other researchers who share similar interests. This discussion will focus on “Memory in forensics: Eyewitness and lineup procedures.”

APS Student Diversity Registration Award Networking

Wednesday, May 26 7:00 – 7:30 PM EDT (-4 UTC)

Grab a cup of coffee and join other recipients of the APS Student Diversity Registration Award for an informal networking session. Make new connections, meet potential collaborators, and share your research interests – or just chat about your current Netflix binge.

APS Student Caucus – We Want to Hear From You

Wednesday, May 26 7:00 – 7:30 PM EDT (-4 UTC)

Interested in learning more about the APS Student Caucus? Join members of the APSSC Executive Board during this 30-minute small-group session to find out more about the leadership and volunteer opportunities for APS Student members. This is the perfect forum for you to ask questions and present ideas for creating engaging programs, services, and benefits for APS Students.

Meet the Editor: Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science

Thursday, May 27 9:00 – 9:30 AM EDT (-4 UTC)

Daniel J. Simons, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA

Meet the Editor of “Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science” (AMPPS) to ask questions and learn more about the journal in a small group discussion. AMPPS is the home for innovative developments in research methods, practices, and conduct across the full range of areas and topics within psychological science. The journal publishes new types of empirical work and articles and tutorials that reflect the various approaches to research across the field.

Meet the Editor: Psychological Science

Thursday, May 27 9:00 – 9:30 AM EDT (-4 UTC)

Patricia J. Bauer, Emory University, USA

Meet the Editor of “Psychological Science” to ask questions and learn more about the journal in a small group discussion. APS’s flagship journal is the leading peer-reviewed journal publishing empirical research spanning the entire spectrum of the science of psychology. “Psychological Science” publishes cutting-edge research articles of general theoretical significance and broad interest across the field.

Meet the New APS Executive Director

Thursday, May 27 9:00 – 9:30 AM EDT (-4 UTC)

Robert Gropp, Association for Psychological Science

APS is developing a strategic plan. In this small-group session, meet APS Executive Director Robert Gropp and share your input about the organization, the big issues confronting psychological science over the next 5 years, and how APS can best serve its members and the larger psychological science community.

A.I. in Organizations

Thursday, May 27 9:00 – 9:30 AM EDT (-4 UTC)

Federico Magni, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

AI is becoming increasingly pervasive in all spheres of human life. One particular area of interest where the usage of AI is on the rise but our knowledge about it is lagging behind is how AI is used in organizations and, most importantly, how people interpret and react to it.

The Impact of Emerging Technologies on Empathy and Compassion

Thursday, May 27 9:00 – 9:30 AM EDT (-4 UTC)

Alison Jane Martingano, National Human Genome Research Institute, USA

Ongoing debates in academia, the popular press, and around dinner tables across America question the value of emerging technologies such as virtual reality, smartphones and social media. Are these technologies improving human connection or hindering our development of prosocial traits? These types of debates occur historically whenever new media emerge and are widely adopted. In this session we will discuss the positive and negative effects of emerging technologies on empathy and compassion, and look to add nuance to an often polarized topic.

Improving Psychological Science

Thursday, May 27 9:00 – 9:30 AM EDT (-4 UTC)

Nidhi Sinha, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, India

The field of psychological science is experiencing a replication crisis. This crisis calls for immediate attention to look for why most of the research in psychology, especially those in social and clinical psychology, is hard to replicate and what can be done to improve the present state of the art. This session would, therefore, allow the attendees to learn about the science of psychological research and ways to amend contemporary research practices.

Climate Change

Thursday, May 27 9:00 – 9:30 AM EDT (-4 UTC)

Tengjiao Huang, Singapore Management University

Hot Topic Sessions are small group discussions led by Convention attendees to engage and connect with other researchers who share similar interests. This discussion will focus on Climate Change.

Online Learning

Thursday, May 27 9:00 – 9:30 AM EDT (-4 UTC)

Erin E. Devers, Indiana Wesleyan University, USA

Hot Topic Sessions are small group discussions led by Convention attendees to engage and connect with other researchers who share similar interests. This discussion will focus on Online Learning.

APS Student Caucus – We Want to Hear From You

Thursday, May 27 9:00 – 9:30 AM EDT (-4 UTC)

Interested in learning more about the APS Student Caucus? Join members of the APSSC Executive Board during this 30-minute small-group session to find out more about the leadership and volunteer opportunities for APS Student members. This is the perfect forum for you to ask questions and present ideas for creating engaging programs, services, and benefits for APS Students.

APS Student Diversity Registration Award Networking

Thursday, May 27 9:00 – 9:30 AM EDT (-4 UTC)

Grab a cup of coffee and join other recipients of the APS Student Diversity Registration Award for an informal networking session. Make new connections, meet potential collaborators, and share your research interests – or just chat about your current Netflix binge.