Each month, more than 1 billion users watch 6 billion hours of video on the website YouTube. More than 100 hours of new content are uploaded to YouTube every minute, according to the website. Now, APA has staked its own claim in this exploding corner of the Internet. Our YouTube channelopens in new window includes videos that aim to entertain, inspire and, most important, educate psychologists and the general public about psychological science, the association's activities and psychology's contributions to society.
The channel includes:
- This Is Psychologyopens in new window: In this ongoing series, I explore recent psychological research in timely areas such as climate change, bullying, weight loss and eyewitness testimony. The videos offer easily digestible, two- to five-minute takes on psychology's contributions to these important social issues.
- PsyTalksopens in new window: Patterned after TED Talks, PsyTalks present psychology's leading researchers discussing their latest findings. In the first installment, Linda Smith, PhD, of Indiana University at Bloomington, discusses her research on how babies learn. In another video, experienced TED Talk presenter Phil Zimbardo, PhD, of Stanford University, explains how you can put together a TED-style talk about your own work. A new video is in the planning stages and should be up by year's end.
- Monitor and gradPSYCH digital extrasopens in new window: The digital editions of APA's magazines offer original videos that expand on the articles and bring them to life. You can watch these videos on YouTube, too. Recent pieces include a look at animal behavioral enrichmentopens in new window at the Smithsonian National Zoo, an office touropens in new window with a psychologist who collects psychology-related memorabilia and a talk with Cirque du Soleil's resident psychologistopens in new window.
- Across the association, individual programs and directorates are jumping on YouTube as well. There you'll find:
- A Word from Psychologistsopens in new window: This series of 25 two-minute videos, created with the general public in mind, offers psychologists' tips on mind/body health topics including managing stress, recognizing the symptoms of depression, choosing a psychologist, living with chronic illness and much more. The videos complement and expand on the content in the APA Topics center, our online consumer resource on psychological issues affecting physical and emotional well-being.
- Psychotherapy: More Than a Quick Fixopens in new window: These videos are part of APA's psychotherapy awareness initiative. The animated videos offer a humorous take on a serious topic: They parody drug ads — touting a "miracle drug" called "Fixitol" — and point out the value of psychotherapy.
Elsewhere, the Psychologically Healthy Workplace Awards Program offers video profiles of all of its award winners at PHWPvideosopens in new window. It also offers a video series called "Six Degrees of Bringing Home the Bacon," in which six people in different professions share the ups and downs of their jobs and how they cope with work-related stress.
Finally, get some practical tips on how to make the most of your access to APA's online resources at the PsycNET Tutorials YouTube channelopens in new window. This channel includes how-to videos explaining how to use PsycTESTS, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, PsycBOOKS, PsycEXTRA, PsycTHERAPY and PsycCRITIQUES. The step-by-step tutorials explain how to search the databases efficiently, find out who's citing your work, submit materials and much more.
I hope you'll check out these free online resources and let us know what else you'd like to see on our YouTube channel.