At APA, we are developing new and more effective methods for communicating the scientific basis of psychology, especially to the general public. One of our newer offerings is an audio podcast series we call "Speaking of Psychology." Launched last fall, the series features conversations with psychologists describing their research and its application to everyday life.
With eight episodes completed as I write this, the series has spotlighted psychologists discussing topics including getting inside the mind of a terrorist; how to teach social skills to autistic teens; the good and the bad of peer pressure; and the link between brain chemistry and moral behavior. Upcoming episodes will focus on neuroscience and creativity, and the psychology of music.
The series is aimed at meeting a key goal of APA's strategic plan: to increase the recognition of psychology as a science. We know from conducting focus groups and public opinion polls that most people associate psychology with psychotherapy. While other APA initiatives continue to educate the public about the value of psychotherapy, the topics of these podcasts are selected to capture the attention of everyday people and to illustrate the breadth and depth of psychological science. In future public opinion polling and focus groups, we hope to measure how this product and our other public education efforts have helped to expand people's understanding of psychology and psychological science beyond "the couch."
While this podcast series is still young, its audience is growing steadily. And its potential audience is enormous, given the public's appetite for learning more about the human mind and its workings. So far, the episodes have been downloaded almost 27,000 times from iTunes and attract anywhere from 1,400 to 1,600 subscribers each month — and that doesn't count people who find it on our own Web pages. It debuted at No. 84 on iTunes in the United States (and No. 53 in Australia). On the day we announced the series on APA's main Facebook page, it was "liked" by 569 people and shared 245 times. Some of their comments: "Amazing work," "I love this" and "Awesome."
We launched "Speaking of Psychology" via our website, which has more than 26 million unique visitors annually, and APA's main social media pages on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Google+. Each month, we feature an item on the latest episode in our email newsletter APA Access.
The cross-linking of all these communication vehicles is part of our overarching strategy to spread the word widely, as well as economically — making podcasts is inexpensive, and there is no cost to use any of the above-mentioned social media. These methods enable us to meet our publics where they are.
There is a synergy between this podcast series and our expanded public education campaign, Psychology: Science in Action (see page 10), which we launched in March. Both are geared toward fulfilling the same strategic goal and try to explain psychology as a science that asks, and often answers, some of the most fascinating questions in the world.
Both feature psychologists telling their stories. With Psychology: Science in Action, there's a focus on careers and what it takes to become, say, a forensic psychologist or to land a job as a psychologist designing video games. "Speaking of Psychology" uses a conversational tone to explore and explain cutting-edge research. Both also convey the excitement and satisfaction of being a psychologist.
I invite you to subscribe to "Speaking of Psychology" on iTunes so you won't miss an episode. Please visit Psychology: Science in Actionopens in new window to see what it's all about. Share both with friends and associates, both within and outside psychology. And if you think you or someone you know would make a good candidate for inclusion in either, drop us a note. We need your help to spread the word about the amazing and fascinating science of psychology.