World?s psychology groups are burgeoning

Psychologists can interact and collaborate with their overseas colleagues in a variety of ways.

By Scott Sleek
Monitor staff

International psychology organizations are flourishing across the globe, giving psychologists a sea of opportunities to become involved in world affairs and work with colleagues from other nations.

'Today there are so many international psychology organizations being created, I can?t keep track,' said Peter Merenda, PhD, a member of APA?s Div. 52 (International), during a conversation hour at APA?s 1998 Annual Convention in San Francisco. Among the well-established organizations discussed at the sessions were the:

? International Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP), the oldest international association of psychologists and sponsor of this year?s meeting. Founded in 1920, IAAP has more than 2,000 members from more than 70 countries. Its goals are to establish dialogue between psychologists who work in the various fields of applied psychology around the world. IAAP cooperates with other international psychology organizations to provide research training seminars for colleagues in Third World countries. For more information about IAAP, visit the World Wide Web site at http://www.ucm.es/info/Psyap/iaap/iaap0.html.

? International Union of Psychological Science (IUPsyS), an umbrella organization of 63 psychological groups. The group strives to foster the exchange of ideas and scientific information between psychologists worldwide. The group will also hold its 27th International Congress of Psychology in Stockholm, Sweden in July 2000. For more information about IUPsyS, visit the web site at aix1.uottawa.ca/~iupsys/

? International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology (IACCP), which has more than 500 members from more than 65 countries. The group facilitates communication among people interested in cross-cultural psychology and examines psychological theories in all branches of the discipline. IACCP holds an international congress every two years. The most recent was in August in Bellingham, Wash., and the next will be in Poland in 2000. For more information about IACCP, visit the web site at www.fit.edu/CampusLife/clubs-org/iaccp/.

? Interamerican Society of Psychology (ISP), a group that fosters communication and collaboration between psychology professionals and researchers in the Americas. The group?s major event, the Interamerican Congress, is held every two years. The next is scheduled for June 27?July 2, 1999, in Caracas, Venezuela.

? APA Div. 52 (International) is engaged in a variety of initiatives to help APA members interact with psychologists from other countries. Among its activities are assisting psychologists who conduct intercultural research and encouraging them to collaborate with colleagues from other nations; to help clinical psychologists learn about assessment and treatment models practiced abroad; and to help psychologists overseas find ways to visit U.S. universities, give lectures or workshops or find temporary placements in the United States. The division also publishes the newsletter International Psychology Reporter three or four times a year. For more information, contact the Div. 52 office at the APA address, (202) 336-6013, fax: (202) 218-3599, e-mail, web site: www.tamu-commerce.edu/orgs/div52/.