The five candidates for APA’s 2017 president answer two questions of concern to psychology in the June, July/August and September issues of the Monitor. This month’s questions are:
Q5: What actions would you take to enhance the future of psychology in an era of increasing interdisciplinary education, research and practice?
Just as the mind doesn't operate without the body, psychology does not exist in a vacuum. The more we (the field or the association) attempt to operate on our own, the more likely we are to become irrelevant to the rest of the world. Our most obvious collaboration is with integrated health care; we can use the same model in other areas. I encourage educators to cross-pollinate their work with colleagues in a variety of fields. That includes writing innovative research grants, team teaching courses and reviewing materials outside of our comfort zones.
Q6: How would your presidency work to expand international perspectives within APA and facilitate the internationalization of psychology in education, research, practice and policy?
By now, I hope we know that western psychology is not the only view of psychology. Some APA divisions have more expansive international perspectives than others. Discussing relevant ethical and legal issues with our international colleagues during APA's convention and international conventions would be invaluable for all psychologists. More often than not, it is less expensive for U.S. citizens to travel to other countries than it is for international psychologists to travel to the United States. Thus, creative funding sources and uses of alternative media to communicate is another way that APA can participate in the internationalization of psychology.