American Psychological Society (APS)

Organization devoted to academic, applied, and science-oriented psychology.

The American Psychological Society was founded in 1988 to represent the interests of academic, applied, and science-oriented psychology and psychologists. The formation of APS originated from the Assembly for Scientific and Applied Psychology (ASAP), a group that attempted to reform the American Psychological Association (APA) to give the scientists greater representation and autonomy. As of early 1996, the APS had about 15,000 members.

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., APS prides itself on its strong, committed leadership and minimal bureaucracy. It publishes two bimonthly journals, Psychological Science and Current Directions in Psychological Science, and produces a monthly newsletter. The APS holds annual conventions and actively lobbies Congress for funds to support scientifically oriented research projects in psychology. In 1991, it initiated a national behavioral science research agenda known as the Human Capital Initiative (HCI). The goal of HCI is to apply the knowledge gained from scientific psychology to address such social ills as illiteracy, substance abuse, violence, as well as mental and physical health.