APA Membership Statistics

Year	Associates	Members	Fellows	Total
2012	8,535	70,054	4,491	83,080
2011	8,593	71,247	4,499	84,339
2010	9,223	77,508	4,626	91,306
2009	8,775	78,618	4,626	92,019
2008	8,318	79,152	4,852	92,322
2007	7,943	79,407	4,705	92,055
2006	7,385	79,158	4,653	91,196
2005	7,056	78,542	4,658	90,256
2004	7,144	78,416	4,642	90,202
2003	7,240	77,938	4,597	89,775
2002	7,507	77,316	4,580	89,403
2001 30, 31, 32	7,618	76,660	4,547	88,825
2000	6,732	71,847	4,517	83,096
1999	7,068	72,064	4,484	83,617
1998	7,165	71,364	4,409	82,938
1997	7,450	70,587	4,350	82,387
1996	7,841	69,335	4,355	81,531
1995	7,719	67,063	4,316	79,098
1994	7,532	64,234	4,242	76,008
1993	7,295	61,806	4,162	73,263
1992	7,631	60,892	4,121	72,644
1991	7,884	60,259	4,059	72,202
1990	7,903	58,311	4,052	70,266
1989	8,098	56,226	3,997	68,321
1988	8,347	54,644	4,005	66,996
1987	8,823	52,584	3,737	65,144
1986	8,587	50,727	3,832	63,146
1985	8,511	47,901	3,719	60,131
1984	8,539	46,042	3,641	58,222
1983	8,600	44,212	3,590	56,402
1982	8,681	42,071	3,528	54, 282
1981	8,706	40,301	3,433	52,440
1980	8,865	38,675	3,393	50,933
1979	8,909	36,804	3,333	49,047
1978	8,817	34,832	3,242	46,891
1977	8,658	32,797	3,195	44,650
1976	8,278	30,576	3,174	42,028
1975	7,795	28,552	3,064	39,411
1974	7,357	26,644	2,999	37,000
1973	7,052	25,243	2,959	35,254
1972	6,832	23,870	2,927	33,629
1971	6,611	22,526	2,848	31,985
1970	6,532	21,502	2,805	30,839
1969	6,070	19,909	2,806	28,785
1968	5,640	18,889	2,721	27,250
1967	5,219	17,955	2,626	25,800
1966	4,812	17,095	2,566	24,473
1965	4,362	16,664	2,535	23,561
1964	3,791	15,865	2,463	22,119
1963	3,213	15,342	2,378	20,933
1962	2,623	14,931	2,337	19,891
1961	2,033	14,640	2,275	18,948
1960	1,408	14,569	2,238	18,215
1959	744	14,485	2,219	17,448
1958	none	14,474	2,170	16,644
1957	13,457		2,088	15,545
1956	12,503		2,006	14,509
1955	11,579		1,896	13,475
1954 29	10,567		1,813	12,380
1953	9,233		1,690	10,903
1952	7,927		1,585	9,512
1951	6,979		1,576	8,554
1950	5,775		1,498	7,272
1949	5,299		1,436	6,735
1948	4,493		1,261	5,754
1947	3,583		1,078	4,661
1946 28	3,344		1,083	4,427
1945	3,161	1,012		4,173
1944	2,948	858		3,806
1943	2,716	760		3,231
1942	2,518	713		3,231
1941	2,254	683		2,937
1940	2,075	664		2,739
1939 27	1,909	618		2,527
1938 26	1,715	603		2,318
1937	1,551	587		2,138
1936	1, 431	556		1,987
1935	1,276	542		1,818
1934	1,224	530		1,754
1933	1,135	535		1,670
1932	985	525		1,510
1931	737	530		1,267
1930	571	530		1,101
1929	353	540		893
1928 25	165	534		699
1927 23	92	516		608 24
1926	41	494		535
1925 22		471		471
1924 20		464		464 21
1923 17		457 18		457 19
1922		442		442
1921 14, 15		424		424 16
1920 13		393		393
1919		372		372
1918		367		367
1917		336		336
1916 11		308		308 12
1915 10		291		291
1914		285		285
1913		271		271
1912		262		262
1911 9		244		244
1910		228		228
1909		225		225
1908		209		209
1907		209		209
1906 8		190		190
1905		168		-168
1904		94		-151
1903		135		135
1902		127		127
1901		127		127
1900		127		127
1899		113		113
1898		111		111
1897 7		87		87
1896 6		94		94
1895		78		78
1894 5		67		67
1893		54 3		54
1892		31 1		31
1892		42 2		42 4

¹ Preliminary Meeting.

² First Annual Meeting.

³ Figures in parentheses are estimates.

⁴ The first mention of membership appears in a tentative ad interim constitution adopted at the first annual meeting (1892) which reads: "The right of nomination for membership is reserved to the Council, the election to be made by the Association." (Fernberger, 1932, p. 7-8).

⁵ In the first constitution adopted at the third annual meeting (1894) no specific article is concerned with membership. But, in Article II, which provides for a council of six members with the president ex-officio, we find as one of its duties that they "shall nominate new members" and also that "the resolutions of the Council shall be brought before the Association and decided by a majority vote." (Fernberger, 1932, p. 8).

⁶ As early as 1896, one finds that (Lightner) Witmer proposed that "all names nominated by the Council, shall be presented to the Association at its opening meeting in written form or visibly displayed upon a blackboard, together with a statement of the contribution or contributions to psychology, in virtue of which the persons named are eligible to Membership, and that the final action upon such names shall be taken by the Association at the final business meeting." (Fernberger, 1932, p. 8).

⁷ Perhaps because of (Lightner) Witmer's motion the previous year, it was voted in 1897 "that nomination blanks be provided by the Secretary with spaces for the name, official position and publications of the candidate and the names of two proposers, members of the Association; such blanks to be filled in and sent to the Secretary before the meeting and to be read before the Association when the name of such candidate comes up for election." (Fernberger, 1932, p. 8).

⁸ Council decided in the future to define the qualifications and make them more difficult. This was accomplished in 1906 by a formal announcement of the council to the association of the principles which guided them in nominating or declining to nominate individuals proposed for membership. "The Constitution reads that those are eligible for membership who are engaged in 'the advancement of Psychology as Science.' In interpreting the Constitution the Council has, historically and consistently, recognized two sorts of qualifications for membership: professional occupation in psychology and research. The Council now adheres to a somewhat strict interpretation of the former of these qualifications so that, in the absence of research, positions held in related branches such as philosophy and education, or temporary positions, such as assistantships in psychology, are not regarded as qualifying candidates for membership." (Fernberger, 1932, p. 9).

⁹ "The Council having for some years back experienced frequent difficulty in securing adequate information regarding applicants for membership in the Association made public the following announcement: The Council requests that all recommendations for membership in the Association submitted to the Secretary at least one month in advance of the time of election, and that these recommendations be accompanied by Statement of the candidate's professional position and by copies of published researches." (Fernberger, 1932, p. 9).

¹⁰ In 1915, at the end of this low period, (Charles) Judd questioned the council's interpretation of a statement regarding requirements of candidates for admission to membership in the association and moved that it be the sense of the association that the statement appended to Article I of the Constitution defining 'temporary positions' should be interpreted to include under this head the position of instructor." The motion was carried and we see, for the first time, the association as a whole, rather than the council, initiating a definition of qualifications for membership. This motion defines an instructorship as a temporary position and hence, for a younger man, throws still greater emphasis on the question of publication. (Fernberger, 1932, p. 10).

¹¹ In the next year (1916) the council again initiates a move for greater standardization as follows: "A proposal for membership, signed by at least two members of the Association, must be submitted to the Secretary, for the Council at least one month in advance of the annual meeting. The proposal must be accompanied by (1) a statement of the candidate's professional position and degrees, naming the institutions by which and the dates when, conferred, and (2) by copies of his published researches. In the absence of acceptable publications of a psychological character, or a permanent position in psychology, the conditions of membership will not be regarded as having been fulfilled." This announcement merely still further defined Judd's motion of the year before and for the first time specifically mentions academic degrees. (Fernberger, 1932, p. 10).

¹² In the same year (1916) the council also announced that "Proposals to membership that are unfavorably acted upon by the Council must be renewed for action at a subsequent meeting." (Fernberger, 1933, p. 10).

¹³ In this year (1920) it was voted "that a committee of three, including the Secretary, be appointed by the President to revise the requirements for membership and to report at the next annual meeting of the Association." Boring was appointed chairman with Dunlap and Terman as the committee. It was also proposed and voted that this be referred to the new committee, that foreign members be not elected to active membership but "that distinguished psychologists in foreign countries be elected, upon recommendation of the Council, corresponding members of the Association and that such corresponding members be not subject to the payment of dues." (Fernberger, 1932, p. 11).

¹⁴ In 1921 this committee reported and the report was adopted by the association in part only. The committee recommended two grades of membership, members and fellows. The recommendation was for the creation of 100 fellows within the membership of the association and asked for a new committee to consider the mode of election of these fellows, their qualifications, functions, etc. (Fernberger, 1932, p. 11).

¹⁵ But the first part of the report, which was adopted and became law, more fully and clearly defines qualifications for membership. In a preamble the committee states: "The Committee believes further that the qualifications should be formulated in accordance with the object of the Association, ' the advancement of psychology as a science ' as stated in the Constitution; and they believe that this end will be most readily secured by placing emphasis upon scientific publication. They believe further that the time has come to abandon professional position or title as a basis for election on account of the reason that the multiplication of special positions, especially in nonacademic fields of psychology, makes the interpretation of the significance of position impracticable." In order to enforce this point of view, the Association adopted the Committee's specific recommendations for qualifications for members the establishment of an 'associate' grade of membership and to report to the 1924 meeting with recommendations." (Fernberger, 1932, p. 11-12).

¹⁶ The Association adopted the committee's specific recommendations for qualifications for membership which were "(1) acceptable published research of a psychological character and (2) of the degree of the Doctor of Philosophy, based in part on a psychological dissertation." The question of the degree may be waived by the council in special cases providing it states its reasons when making the nomination. And further "(3) it is also expected that the Council shall assure itself that the nominee is actively engaged in psychological work at the time of the nomination." (Fernberger, 1932, p. 12).

¹⁷ 1924: At the meeting the year before it was decided that nominations must be made "not later than March 15 of the year in which the nomination is to be first acted upon." (Fernberger, 1932, p. 12).

¹⁸ 1923: the Council shall have power to defer action upon such proposals for membership as it deems necessary providing, however, that the third annual meeting after the original receipt of the nomination papers, it must decide either to present or not to present the candidate's name to the Association. A proposal for membership cannot be reviewed until two years have elapsed after the Council's action upon it." (Fernberger, 1932, p. 12).

¹⁹ 1923: It was voted that a committee of three be appointed "to consider the advisability of the establishment of an 'associate' grade of membership and to report to the 1924 meeting with recommendations." Boring was appointed chairman of this committee with F. L. Wells and Hunter. The report, which was a lengthy one, was presented in 1924 and printed in the Proceedings. The committee "are unanimous in the opinion that the purposes of the Association will be served by the creation of a class of Associates " because the growth of psychology has "created distinct groups of persons engaged in psychological work of a scientific character at less advanced levels" so that the fundamental requirements of membership can no longer be met by this group. Hence the Committee proposes a class of Associates eligible under the following qualifications: "(1) any person devoting full time to work that is primarily psychological; (2) any person with the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, based in part upon a psychological dissertation and conferred by a graduate school of recognized standing, or (3) scientists, educators or distinguished persons, whom the Council may recommend for sufficient reason." (Fernberger, 1932, p. 12).

²⁰ The exclusionary tendency that predominated the first two decades of the 20^th century was to eliminate from membership individuals who were not directly involved in psychological pursuits. The Definition of Psychology officially hinged on the terminology of the association's constitution as "The Advancement of Psychology as a Science," which was primarily that of academic psychology involved in research, primarily experimental research. In general, it was the individuals on the periphery of psychology who were eliminated, those with a non professional, amateur's interest in the field, and those primarily involved in philosophy. (Evans, 1992, p. 78).

²¹ The committee then further recommends certain methods of application of the change. The application for associateship may be made by the candidate rather than by two proposers as for membership. But two endorsers must be specified by the applicant with whom the council may (and always did) communicate. The application must be received by October 1 instead of March 15 as for Members. The council is to consider all applications for associateship and recommend to the association which elects. The associates to have the right of the floor at the annual meetings and the right participate in the programs but are not entitled to hold office or to vote. Upon the recommendation of the council and by the majority vote of the annual meeting an associateship may be terminated. (Fernberger, 1932, p. 13).

²² The necessary by-laws and constitutional changes were passed for the first time in 1924 and received the necessary second passage in 1925. Immediately and at the same meeting these changes the by-laws became effective by the election of forty-five associates. (Fernberger, 1932, p. 13).

²³ The committee suggests a form by means of which associates may apply for membership. This is to be accomplished by having all associates asked each year if they care to make application for membership. The committee also suggested a similar form of application blank for both grades. The changes were passed in 1927 on its second reading. This change had the effect of still further raising the qualifications for Membership by defining a policy of the council demanding at least two publications beyond the doctorate thesis. It makes the date of application for both grades uniform with a closing on March 15th. (Fernberger, 1932, p. 14).

²⁴ The council in 1927 were willing to recommend only a relatively few associates for membership inasmuch as they were not willing to construe graduate work as "devoting full time to professional work in psychology." Hence in this year a change was made in the by-laws which changed this qualification to read "who have had at least one full year of graduate work in psychology in a recognized graduate school or who at the time of application are devoting full time to professional or graduate work in psychology." (Fernberger, 1932, p. 14).

²⁵ In 1928 a new mechanism for handling nominations was approved by the council. According to this new method, which is still in practice, the Secretary first reviews each nomination. For those cases where there is no question that the candidate is eligible for associateship but not for membership (and this includes the great majority of the cases) the secretary himself approves the nomination and writes to so inform the candidate, telling him that if he objects to this ruling and insists upon being considered for membership, that his case will be presented to the council. For all other cases, those who seem to be eligible for membership and those whom the secretary considers are not qualified for associateship, the former method of submitting transcripts for the consideration of the council is followed. (Fernberger, 1932, p. 15).

²⁶ 1) The association shall consist of three classes of persons: first, members, second, associates and third, honorary members. 2) Members of the association shall be persons who are primarily engaged in the advancement of psychology as a science. 3) Associates shall be such other persons as are interested in the advancement of Psychology as a science and who desire affiliation with the association for this reason. Three honorary members shall be persons, who having reached the age of seventy years and having been members for at least twenty years, request such status. (APA Yearbook, 1938, pgs. 14-15).

²⁷ The association shall consist of three classes of persons: first, members, second, associates and third, life members. Four life members shall be persons who, having reached the ages of seventy years and having been members of the association for at least twenty years, request such status. (APA Yearbook, 1939, pg. 21).

²⁸ The association shall consist of three classes of members: Fellows, associates and life members. Two fellows of the association shall be persons who are primarily engaged in the advancement of psychology as a profession..(APA Yearbook, 1946-1947, p. 26).

²⁹ 1954, the council formally requested the Policy and Planning board to study the standards for membership, which, at that time, were those set forth in article II of the original (1946) bylaws. These classes of Membership were defined as follows:

• Fellow. Holder of Doctoral degree based in part of a dissertation psychological in nature, prior membership as an associate and acceptable, published research beyond the dissertation or four years of acceptable professional experience. The nomination was made by a Division to the Board of Directors, which, if approved was recommended to the council.

• Associate. Holder of a doctorate or completion of two years of graduate work in psychology, or completion of the year of graduate study and one year of professional experience; or that the individual be a distinguished person recommended by the board of directors.

• Life Member. A fellow or and associate for 25 years and attainment at age 65.

As a result of its deliberations, the Policy and Planning board recommended to the Board of Directors that the categories be revised. After some years of debate, the Council approved three classes of membership: fellow, member and associate. On approval by the membership, this change went into effect at the beginning of 1958. Standards for Fellow were strengthened by requiring the nominating division to furnish the Membership Committee with clear evidence of the candidate's unusual or outstanding accomplishment in Psychology. The new category of member required the doctorate, thus preserving the time-honored criterion. The class of associate was continued for subdoctoral psychologist, but it was stipulated that when an associate was awarded the doctorate, he or she would automatically be raised to member. The life member category was dropped, but waiver of dues, when requested, for members over 65 years of age and with 25 years of membership were retained. Various types of affiliates, such as student, division and foreign were recognized, but, as in 1945, they were not counted as members of the association. (Evans, 1992, p. 182-183).

³⁰ Member: The minimum standard for election to member status is receipt of the doctoral degree based in part on a psychological dissertation or based on other evidence of proficiency in psychological scholarship. The doctoral degree must be received from a program primarily psychological in content and must be conferred by a graduate or professional school that (a) is regionally accredited or (b) has achieved such accreditation within five years of the year the doctorate was granted, or (c) is a school of equivalent standing outside of the United States. All members may vote and hold office in the association. (Directory, 2001, p. IX).

³¹ Associate Member: To become an associate member, an applicant must meet one of two sets of requirements: (a) must have completed two years of graduate work in psychology at a regionally accredited graduate or professional school or (b) must have received the master's degree in psychology from a regionally accredited graduate or professional school. Associate members initially may not vote or hold office in APA. After five consecutive years of membership, associate members may vote. (Directory, 2001, p. IX).

³² Fellow: Qualified members, may, on nomination by an APA division and election by the Council of Representatives, become fellows of the APA. Candidates for fellows status must previously have been members for at least one full year, have a doctoral degree in psychology and at least five years of acceptable experience beyond that degree, hold membership in the nominating division, and present evidence of unusual or outstanding contribution or performance in the field of psychology. Fellows may vote and hold office. (Directory, 2001, p. IX).