Candidates for APA President
How would you justify "basic behavioral research" to a policy-maker who is not convinced that it is good use of public funds?
Phil Zimbardo, APA's 2002 president, showcased psychological research's value in addressing societal issues such as violence prevention and driving safety (www.psychologymatters.org). As a former Congressional Fellow, I know that advocacy is critical to the future of our profession. We must bring our researchers to the Hill to communicate with their legislators, showcase the practical use of our research and inform policy-making. We must increase their advocacy skills by providing them the necessary tools to do the job, starting with our students, as the Illinois Psychological Association is doing. The Science Directorate's Psy21 Initiative aims to do these things and more!
What concrete steps would you take to promote unity between psychologists who think of themselves as scientists and those who think of themselves as practitioners?
We are all one family in psychology and our future as a valued profession depends upon our ability to work together to address problems in our society. At APA, we should continue to constitute workgroups with "scientists" and "practitioners" working collaboratively around important issues such as evidence-based practice. However, the long-term solution lies with our students, who are our future. I have been very impressed with APAGS members with whom I have worked in APA governance and I will work with APAGS to develop long-term strategies to enhance unity among our varied family members. Visit my Web site, www.DrNordal.com.
