One of the areas where APA is uniquely qualified to lead is as a resource for psychologists around the world. Over the past several years, we have collaborated with psychological associations in other countries, playing a major role in supporting the development of psychology in areas where the discipline and profession is more recent. APA has working relationships with more than 60 national psychological associations.
In a 2008 article in American Psychologist, Jeffrey Arnett, PhD, said the “psychological research published in APA journals focuses too narrowly on Americans, who comprise less than 5% of the world’s population.” His statement underscores the importance of increasing the scope and reach of our global partnerships.
At the International Summit on Psychology and Global Health: A Leader in Climate Action in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2019, it became clear that no single association could address the range of psychological concerns facing the world. This led to the formation of the Global Psychology Alliance (GPA), comprised of more than 70 regional, national, and international psychological organizations committed to using our science to enhance humanity’s shared well-being.
In June, I was energized about our international work after attending GPA’s second meeting in Bogotá, Colombia, along with leaders of psychological associations from around the world. The group strategized about how to use psychological science to address global health and well-being, including working to minimize widespread inequalities and stem climate change.
GPA also runs the Global Psychology Learning Leadership Institute, which ensures that established and emerging leaders of psychology are represented in global efforts.
Your support is needed in APA’s global partnerships. APA’s Office of International Affairs, run by Amanda Clinton, PhD, connects us to the rest of the psychology world. For more information about how you can support your colleagues in other countries, you can visit APA’s Office of International Affairs. As I said at the opening of the 2022 APA convention, “Psychology is here to stay,” not just in the United States, but around the world.
