This month’s questions focus on increasing APA membership and the association’s role in the public discourse of political, legal and social issues:
Q3: How do you envision increasing and enhancing the vitality of the association’s membership?
We must attract psychologists who are not APA members to the association. We must also attract back previous members who have left. As president, I would appoint a panel to canvass non-member psychologists (e.g., licensed psychologists and "academics") as well as current members to determine their ideas, suggestions and any complaints about APA's policies. I would ensure that potential members know of the association's efforts in such areas as pursuing prescription privileges for properly trained psychologists and hospital privileges. Finally, I would seek to reduce membership dues and reassess the necessity and amount of the yearly "practice assessment" fee.
Q4: What role should APA undertake in the public discourse of political, legal and social issues?
Psychology must remain scientific and empirical science must predominate over ideology. APA should take an active role in making frequent thoughtful, research-based statements addressing contemporary controversies and news topics. Presently, there are too many "pundits" spreading misinformation derived from anecdotes, hearsay, tradition or shoddy unreplicated research. APA should report the results of research findings to the public. Much of this research is already presented in peer-reviewed journals. But the public doesn't read these journals. Accordingly, I would convene a special committee to investigate a better way to convey this important and unbiased information to the general public.