The field of psychological science is changing quickly. The academic job market, the ways we do psychological science, and the role of science in society are being transformed. Over the last year, the APS Board has been discussing ways that we can adapt to these large-scale changes to best serve APS members and, more broadly, psychological science.

Our first step was to update the way the APS Board worked. APS members overwhelmingly approved the new bylaws, which modernized how the Board, APS staff, and APS committees coordinate with each other. The new bylaws also extended the terms of board members and changed the presidential selection process to help guarantee the board would be more cohesive and have a longer institutional memory.

The new bylaws have also set in motion the adoption of a concise mission statement and a small set of guiding pillars that reflect our priorities moving forward. These are not intended as slogans or checklists, but as a framework for aligning APS activities—from advocacy to publications to career support—with the realities facing psychological science today.

APS Mission and Pillars

The Mission

To be the home of integrative and rigorous psychological science that connects people, methods, and careers for the public good across the world.

The Guiding Pillars

Foster rigorous, innovative, and integrative science. This includes basic and applied research across a wide range of methods and models.

Promote the public value and application of psychological science. This focuses on the output of psychological science and its real-world significance.

Advocate for the discipline and strengthen scientific literacy. This targets funding agencies, universities, and the public perception of psychology. It signals that APS will be a vocal force, not a passive observer.

Support diverse careers for the next generation of scientists and educators and grow the global psychological science workforce. This explicitly validates the shift toward industry, government, and tech, rather than just academic tracks.

Moving forward

Now that we have a clearer understanding of the challenges facing psychological science, and a concise mission to guide us, the APS Board—working in partnership with staff and members—is aligning our activities with these guiding pillars.

Expanding science advocacy efforts. Consistent with our commitment to advocate for the discipline and strengthen scientific literacy, APS is expanding its role in science policy and public engagement. We are increasing our presence in policy discussions, strengthening collaborations with other scientific societies, and creating new opportunities for members to engage directly with policymakers. The recent appointment of a Senior Director of Scientific and Public Affairs reflects our intention to build sustained capacity in this area. While our initial efforts have focused on the United States, we are also exploring opportunities to support advocacy efforts internationally.

Broadening APS to all psychological scientists. In alignment with our pillar supporting diverse career pathways and the evolving psychological science workforce, APS is broadening its engagement with scientists working beyond traditional academic roles. As the majority of new PhDs now pursue careers in industry, government, education, and other applied settings, we are working to ensure that APS remains relevant and supportive of these trajectories. This includes expanding programming, facilitating dialogue about career preparation, and examining how our publications and conventions can better reflect the full range of professional outcomes in our field.

Redefining APS as a truly international organization. Fulfilling our commitment to serve a global psychological science community requires that APS more fully reflect the international nature of our membership, authorship, and partnerships. Although APS has members and contributors from around the world, we must ensure that our governance, programming, and outreach reflect this reality. Becoming a truly international organization involves more than demographics; it requires intentional efforts to build connections and represent psychological science as a global enterprise.

Rethinking APS membership and its value. To sustain these priorities and remain a strong professional home for psychological scientists, APS must also rethink the value and relevance of membership itself. Like many scientific societies, APS has experienced declines in membership and convention attendance. We are examining how APS can provide clearer value—through intellectual community, career development, advocacy, and global engagement. In other words, membership means more than attending our convention or receiving our journals. It reflects a shared scientific mission and scholarly community.

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