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322019Volume 32, Issue6July/August 2019
Highlights from the 31st APS Annual Convention
Check out all the capital science presented in the nation's capital.

About the Observer

The Observer is the online magazine of the Association for Psychological Science and covers matters affecting the research, academic, and applied disciplines of psychology. The magazine reports on issues of interest to psychologist scientists worldwide and disseminates information about the activities, policies, and scientific values of APS.

APS members receive a monthly Observer newsletter that covers the latest content in the magazine. Members also may access the online archive of Observer articles going back to 1988.

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  • Thumbnail Image for Disaster Response and Recovery

    Disaster Response and Recovery

    Disasters like Hurricane Florence and Typhoon Mangkhut draw massive media coverage, trauma interventions, and financial donations to victims. But psychological research shows the efforts don’t always yield the intended benefits.

Featured


  • Presidential Symposium

    APS President Barbara Tversky welcomes researchers and experts in the arts to show how our creative pursuits help us forge connections between our internal and external worlds.

  • Fred Kavli Keynote Address

    Simple comparative experiments reveal how shared intentionality and social coordination set humans apart from other primates, says APS Fellow Michael Tomasello.

  • Saturday Keynote Address

    APS Fellow Betsy Levy Paluck demonstrates how the influential power of social norms can be channeled toward the greater good.

  • Convention Photo Album

    Photo highlights from 4 days of nonstop science in Washington, DC — from hacking best research practices to investigating the impacts of diversity in the workplace.

  • APS Student Caucus Events

    Students at every career stage took advantage of opportunities to chat with the “champs,” learn grad-school survival skills, network with peers, and more.

APS Spotlight


  • Making Thinking Visible

    APS President Barbara Tversky welcomes researchers and experts in the arts to show how our creative pursuits help us forge connections between our internal and external worlds.

  • Pulling Together

    Simple comparative experiments reveal how shared intentionality and social coordination set humans apart from other primates, says APS Fellow Michael Tomasello.

  • Renewing the New Normal

    APS Fellow Betsy Levy Paluck demonstrates how the influential power of social norms can be channeled toward the greater good.

  • Capital Science in the Nation’s Capital

    Photo highlights from 4 days of nonstop science in Washington, DC — from hacking best research practices to investigating the impacts of diversity in the workplace.

  • Naked Truths, Champions, and More

    Students at every career stage took advantage of opportunities to chat with the “champs,” learn grad-school survival skills, network with peers, and more.

More From This Issue


  • 2019 Spence Awards

    2019 APS Janet Taylor Spence Awards for Transformative Early Career Contributions

    Eight psychological scientists have been recognized with the 2019 APS Janet Taylor Spence Awards for Transformative Early Career Contributions for their cutting-edge research on fields varying from the development of decision-making skills to mathematical models of happiness and how we rationalize disturbing realities. The award, named for APS’s first elected president, honors the most creative and promising researchers who embody the future of psychological science. This year’s recipients shared their experiences and ongoing research with the Observer. The awards were presented at the 2019 APS Annual Convention, May 23–26, in Washington, DC.