Committees
The Society is managed by a professional office staff, but the vision and goals of the organization are directed by its Board of Directors, various committees and task forces.
View the 2022 Organizational Chart
For more information on each committee, see below. More detailed information about each committee may be found in the Committee Charters document.
To view current and past committee members, please see our full breakdown of SPSP committees.
Advocacy Advisory Board Role: To execute on requests from the Government Relations Committee, which will oversee the Advocacy Advisory Board. For example, the Government Relations Committee could request that the Advisory Board develop a one-pager with new research findings relevant to our priority areas. The Government Relations Committee will review these priority areas on a yearly basis and make adjustments if needed.
Note: This is a new group that will report to the SPSP Government Relations Committee. If you have any questions, please contact Stephen Waldron at swaldron@spsp.org.
Review our 2022 Advocacy Priority areas for more details.
Expectations:
- Members of the Advocacy Advisory Board will serve a two-year term
- Members will work with the SPSP Communications and Public Relations Manager to create a state of the research 1-2 page document, which is written for policymakers/the public
- Advocacy Advisory Board members will share research findings with the Communications and Public Relations Manager, who will draft a 1-2 page document for their review
- Members should be available to support the Government Relations Committee and Board of Directors on an as-needed basis, fulfilling requests for research findings and content on current events related to the SPSP priority areas
- Members should be well-versed in research relevant to SPSP’s priority areas (i.e. behavioral research related to misinformation, climate change)
- Members are not required to be policy experts, rather they can support the Government Relations Committee by collecting evidence that supports SPSP’s advocacy priority areas
Purpose
The Applied Committees purpose is to (1) make clear the value of applied work in the field and (2) ensure that SPSP is inclusive of individuals doing applied work. The committee will work on any number of activities, such as: showcase applied work at the annual convention; educating current members about careers that involve application of social and personality psychology; generating ideas for fostering collaboration between those doing basic and applied work.
Structure
The committee consists of seven members. Serving on the committee is a two-year term. Three new members join every year. The Member at Large (MAL) for Application serves as the Chair.
- Application MAL: Chair (1)
- 2nd-Year Members (3)
- 1st-Year Members (3)
Eligibility
Committee members should work in an applied setting. Maintaining representation in career stage, geographic location, place of employment (e.g. size of organization, non-academic settings), age, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and other diverse factors is an important factor in committee composition. Committee members must maintain their SPSP membership throughout their tenure on the committee.
Time Commitment
This committee meets approximately 1.5 hours per month.
Purpose
The SPSP Awards Committee appoints, oversees and works closely with the Award Nomination Panels, who nominate and select SPSP award recipients using various processes, criteria, and the spirit of the award. The Awards Committee also works to continuously improve and expand SPSP's awards program. Finally, the Awards Committee selects the annual "Service to the Field" and the “Service to SPSP” awards. Members are tasked with identifying individuals to serve on the Award Panels, overseeing the panels and sanctioning the selections, and identifying ways to improve and expand the awards program. Members of the committee are also asked to review nominations and select the recipients of the two Service awards.
Structure
The committee consists of three members. Serving on the committee is a three-year term. One member joins every year, serving as Chair in their third year and past-chair in their fourth year. Past-chairs serve in an advisory role and are not officially part of the committee.
- 3rd-Year Member: Chair (1)
- 2nd-Year Member (1)
- 1st-Year Member (1)
Eligibility
Committee members must have their PhDs and be well-networked within the Society to support staffing the Awards Panels each year. Maintaining representation in academic discipline, career stage, geographic location, place of employment (e.g. size of institution, non-academic settings), age, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and other diverse factors is an important factor in committee composition. Committee members must maintain their SPSP membership throughout their tenure on the committee.
Purpose
The Convention Committee organizes numerous aspects of SPSP's annual convention and pre-conferences. In addition to oversight of the whole convention, specific responsibilities include featured programming (e.g., out of the lab, inside the grant panel) and the Legacy program.
Structure
The committee consists of nine members. Serving on the committee is a two or three-year term depending on position. Four new members join every year. Past-chairs serve in an advisory role and are not officially part of the committee.
Volunteers on the Convention Committee fall into one of the following categories:
- Three-year committee members: These individuals make up the core of the committee and serve for three years. Each year, a different task is assigned to individual.
- Two-year committee members: These individuals serve on the committee for two years. Each year, a different task is assigned to individual.
- Science Program Committee: Two members are assigned to this task for two years each.
Category Task
- 3-Year Members Chair – Year 3
- Legacy Awards – Year 2
- Awards Address – Year 1
- 2-Year Members Out of the Lab – Year 2
- Inside the Grant Panel – Year 1
- Science Program Committee: Co-chairs Symposia – Year 2
- Single Presenter – Year 1
Eligibility
Committee members should have a broad and inclusive perspective on SPSP, its membership, and past SPSP conventions; availability throughout most of the calendar year but particularly over the summer and in the months leading up to the convention; ability and willingness to work with other committee members to troubleshoot convention-related issues and challenges; ideas about what makes the convention most successful and what might be improved from year to year, including from other society conventions. Maintaining representation in career stage, geographic location, place of employment (e.g. size of organization, non-academic settings), age, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and other diverse factors is an important factor in committee composition. Committee members must maintain their SPSP membership throughout their tenure on the committee.
Time Commitment
Approximately 10 hours over the course of the year.
Purpose
In an effort to increase the diversity of personality and social psychology, the Diversity and Climate Committee (1) monitors diversity in the organization, (2) supports activities designed to increase the participation of underrepresented members at every level, and (3) provides resources and opportunities to increase a sense of community for underrepresented groups in SPSP.
Underrepresented minorities (URM) examples: ethnic or racial minority students; first-generation college students; lesbian, gay, or bisexual students; transgender students; and/or students with a physical disability.
Structure
The committee consists of six members that are selected annually by the committee from a list of applicants. Serving on the committee is a three-year term. Two new members join every year, serving as co-chairs in their third year and past chairs in their fourth year. Past-chairs serve in an advisory role and are not officially part of the committee.
- 3rd-year Members: Co-Chair (2)
- 2nd-Year Members (2)
- 1st-Year Members (2)
Eligibility
Committee members should have some experience in coordinating diversity efforts in either academic or non-academic settings. Preference is given for members who are in advanced stages of their career (i.e., not junior). Maintaining representation in academic discipline, career stage, geographic location, place of employment (e.g. size of institution, non-academic settings), age, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and other diverse factors is an important factor in committee composition. Committee members must maintain their SPSP membership throughout their tenure on the committee.
Time Commitment
This committee meets approximately for 1 hour per month.
Purpose
The annual APA Convention attracts, on average, 11-12,000 psychologists, students in psychology, and other mental health professionals from a wide cross-section of employment settings including science, practice, public policy, education, and research. The Board of Convention Affairs (BCA) serves as the coordinator of programs initiated by the various divisions of APA. 1,000 hours of programming are dedicated to the divisions. The division may set up experimental programs and determine the structure of the sessions, e.g., panel discussion, symposium, conversation hour, etc.
Program Chair solicits and even develops innovative and interactive programs and sessions that are attractive to Convention attendees. Although a primary focus is to provide the opportunity for researchers to present cutting edge data, Program Chair, in collaboration for their Division’s leadership, can initiate programs to address content or issues not addressed in proposals that they received. Further, Program Chair can encourage Division members to develop and submit collaborative and innovative programs between the Divisions and APA Boards & Committees.
Structure
- Year 1: serve as Program Co-Chair and shadow the current Program Chair, attend the APA Convention
- Year 2: serve as Program Chair and liaison with SPSP Executive Director to fulfill your responsibilities, attend the APA Convention
Eligibility
The incoming President-Elect appoints the individual to serve in the Year 1 position in the summer.
Time Commitment
Heaviest time is in the winter/spring for Div 8 Fellow application process.
Purpose
The Early Career Committee was formed in 2019 to help address the needs of SPSP's early career members. The committee hopes to ensure that relevant resources, networking opportunities and programming are available to early career members and that their interests are represented across SPSP.
Structure
The committee consists of six members. Serving on the committee is a three-year term. Two new members join every year, serving as co-chairs in their third year and past-chairs in their fourth year. Past-chairs serve in an advisory role and are not officially part of the committee.
- 3rd-Year Members: Co-Chair (2)
- 2nd-Year Members (2)
- 1st-Year Members (2)
Eligibility
Maintaining representation in academic discipline, geographic location, place of employment (e.g. size of institution, non-academic settings), gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and other diverse factors is an important factor in committee composition. Committee members must maintain their SPSP membership throughout their tenure on the committee.
Time Commitment
Approximately 2-5 hours per month
Purpose
The Purpose of the committee is to review SPSP and APA Division 8 fellowship applications and provide recommendations for fellowship to the board for consideration.
Structure
The committee consists of six members. Serving on the committee is a three-year term. Two members join every year, serving as co-chairs in their third year and past-chairs in their fourth year. Past-chairs serve in an advisory role and are not officially part of the committee.
- 3rd-Year Members: Co-Chair (2)
- 2nd-Year Members (2)
- 1st-Year Members (2)
Eligibility
Committee members must have their PhDs and be fellows of SPSP. Maintaining representation in academic discipline, career stage, geographic location, place of employment (e.g. size of institution, non-academic settings), age, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and other diverse factors is an important factor in committee composition. Committee members must maintain their SPSP membership throughout their tenure on the committee.
Time Commitment
Approximately 8-10 hours per year
Structure
The Fundraising and Development Committee consists of seven members, including two co-chairs along with four other members, each of whom serves a three-year term. Two new members join every year, serving as co-chairs in their third year. The SPSP Treasurer is the liaison of the committee to the Board of Directors, but not an official member of the committee.
- Co-Chair (2)
- 2nd-Year Members (2)
- 1st-Year Members (2)
Eligibility
Development committee members are selected based upon their willingness to support in the field, professional and personal connections, diversity or international status, and fundraising knowledge. Maintaining representation in academic discipline, career stage, geographic location, place of employment (e.g. size of institution, non-academic settings), age, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and other diverse factors is an important factor in committee composition. Committee members must maintain their SPSP membership throughout their tenure on the committee.
Time Commitment
Approximately 1 hour per month
Purpose
The Government Relations Committee provides advice and support to the SPSP staff and Board of Directors on advocacy for social and personality psychology. The Committee contributes to the specification of strategies, priorities, and mechanisms that can best permit SPSP to promote the field by engaging members to support the goals of the committee. The primary focus of the Committee's attention is to advocate for implementing evidence-based best practices that can change behaviors related to SPSP's advocacy priority areas.
Structure
The committee consists of six members. Serving on the committee is a three-year term. Two new members join every year, serving as co-chairs in their third year and past-chairs in their fourth year. Past-chairs serve in an advisory role and are not officially part of the committee.
- 3rd-year Members: Co-Chair (2)
- 2nd-Year Members (2)
- 1st-Year Members (2)
Eligibility
Committee members should have an interest in policy and government relations. Maintaining representation in academic discipline, career stage, geographic location, place of employment (e.g. size of institution, non-academic settings), age, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and other diverse factors is an important factor in committee composition. Committee members must maintain their SPSP membership throughout their tenure on the committee.
Time Commitment
Approximately 1 hour per month
Purpose
The Purpose of this review panel is to provide reviews for the Small Conference and Small Research grant programs.
Structure
The panel consists of 7-9 members serving on the panel for a two-year term. The panel members must have a PhD but otherwise no specific requirements are needed. Panel members are selected based upon their expressed interest during SPSP's annual call for volunteers.
Eligibility
Maintaining representation in academic discipline, career stage, geographic location, place of employment (e.g. size of institution, non-academic settings), age, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and other diverse factors is an important factor in panel composition. Panel members must maintain their SPSP membership throughout their tenure on the panel.
Time Commitment
Approximately 5-10 hours per year
Purpose
The SPSP International Committee seeks to make SPSP and the field of social and personality psychology more culturally and geographically diverse, both in terms of researchers and the populations they study. The committee works to continuously diversify SPSP's conferences, publications, programs, awards, membership, and website to better represent the global community.
Structure
The committee consists of six members. Serving on the committee is a three-year term. Two new members join every year, serving as co-chairs in their third year and past-chairs in their fourth year. Past-chairs serve in an advisory role and are not officially part of the committee.
- 3rd-year Members: Co-Chair (2)
- 2nd-Year Members (2)
- 1st-Year Members (2)
Eligibility
Committee members should have completed their Ph.D or equivalent, in a field relevant to the committee's work. Maintaining representation in academic discipline, career stage, geographic location, place of employment (e.g. size of institution, non-academic settings), age, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and other diverse factors is an important factor in committee composition. Committee members must maintain their SPSP membership throughout their tenure on the committee.
Time Commitment
Approximately 5-10 hour per year
Purpose
The Nominations and Elections Committee Purpose is to increase transparency and facilitate the nominations process for the Board of Directors and Committees. The committee is charged with ensuring the nominations reflect the goals and values of the organization and to develop a strong leadership pipeline.
Structure
The committee consists of eight members. Serving on the committee is a one or two-year term. The term officially begins January 1.
Terms Position
- 1-Year Chair – Past President
- 1-Year DCC – Past Diversity & Climate Committee Chair
- 2-Years Social Psychology
- 2-Years Personality Psychology
- 2-Years Early Career (up to 6 years post-PhD)
- 2-Years International
- 2-Years Undesignated (Primarily Undergraduate Institution)
- 2-Years Undesignated (Applied)
- 1-Year President (ex-officio)
Eligibility
Committee members must have a PhD to serve on this committee. Maintaining representation in academic discipline, career stage, geographic location, place of employment (e.g. size of institution, non-academic settings), age, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and other diverse factors is an important factor in committee composition. Committee members must maintain their SPSP membership throughout their tenure on the committee.
Time Commitment
Pre-term work (approximately 2 hours) will be required to prepare for the elections call for nominations which launches in November.
The Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUI) Committee is charged with enhancing the profile of members at PUIs, identifying roadblocks unique to PUIs members, and increasing support for PUI members.
Structure
The committee consists of seven members. Serving on the committee is a two-year term. Three new members join every year. The Member at Large (MAL) for PUI serves as the Chair.
- PUI MAL: Chair (1)
- 2nd-Year Members (3)
- 1st-Year Members (3)
Committee members should have experience teaching and working at PUIs. Evidence of prior service work, especially regarding PUI issues, is a plus. Maintaining representation in academic discipline, career stage, geographic location, age, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and other diverse factors is an important factor in committee composition.
Eligibility
Committee members must maintain their SPSP membership throughout their tenure on the committee.
Time Commitment
Approximately 1 hour per month
Purpose
The Purpose of the SPSP Professional Development Committee is to improve psychological science by supporting students, faculty, and professionals. We provide workshops, webinars, and professional development sessions. Training opportunities focus on innovative research methods, data analytic tools and best research practices. Development sessions provide resources that support advancement along career paths and trajectories within and outside of academia.
Structure
The committee consists of six members. Serving on the committee is a three-year term. Two new members join every year, serving as co-chairs in their third year and past-chairs in their fourth year. Past-chairs serve in an advisory role and are not officially part of the committee. One 1st year member and one 2nd year member takes primary responsibility for Professional Development sessions, the other
- 1st and 2nd year members take primary responsibility for workshops.
- 3rd-Year Members: Co-Chair (2)
- 2nd-Year Members (2)
- 1st-Year Members (2)
Eligibility
Committee members should have a terminal degree in a field relevant to social and/or personality psychology and be actively involved in research, teaching, or practice related to social and/or personality psychology. Maintaining representation in academic discipline, career stage, geographic location, place of employment (e.g. size of institution, non-academic settings), age, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and other diverse factors is an important factor in committee composition. Committee members must maintain their SPSP membership throughout their tenure on the committee.
Time Commitment
Convention submissions take place in July and reviews and selections happen in August (specific timelines are provided to committee members ~April of each year)
Purpose
The Publications Committee works to maintain and improve SPSP journals and discuss new initiatives of knowledge dissemination.
Structure
The committee consists of five members. Serving on the committee is a two or three-year term depending on position. One new member joins every year, serving as chair in their third year and past-chair in their fourth year. Past-chairs serve in an advisory role and are not officially part of the committee.
Terms Position
- 3-Year Members Chair – Year 3
- Editor Search Committee – Year 2
- Student Publication Award Committee – Year 1
- 2-Year Member Early Career
- 3-Year Member SPPS Consortium Liaison
- 4-Year Member PSPB Editor (ex-officio)
- 4-Year Member PSPR Editor (ex-officio)
Eligibility
Committee members should have experience in the publishing process (e.g. editor, associate editor). Preference is given for members who are in advanced stages for their career (e.g. not junior). Maintaining representation in academic discipline, career stage, geographic location, place of employment (e.g. size of institution, non-academic settings), age, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and other diverse factors is an important factor in committee composition. Committee members must maintain their SPSP membership throughout their tenure on the committee.
Time Commitment
This committee meets approximately 1 hour per month.
Purpose
The Student Committee works to promote the interest of SPSP's student members. This includes producing helpful student content, organizing events for student members at the annual convention, and much more.
Structure
The committee consists of ten members. Serving on the committee is a one-year, two-year or three-year term depending on position. Eight new members join every year. New members apply and are selected by the incoming-chair and staff liaison.
Terms Position
- 3-Year Members Past Chair – Year 3
- Chair – Year 2
- Vice Chair – Year 1
- 1-Year Members (6) Diversity Representative
- Five at Large Representatives
- 2-Year Members (2) Co-Editor of Student Newsletter – Year 2
- Co-Editor of Student Newsletter – Year 1
Eligibility
Committee members should have one year of graduate school experience. Maintaining representation in academic discipline, career stage, geographic location, place of employment (e.g. size of institution, non-academic settings), age, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and other diverse factors is an important factor in committee composition. Committee members must maintain their SPSP membership throughout their tenure on the committee.
Time Commitment
Approximately 1 hour per month
Purpose
SPSP offers bi-annually (in odd-numbered years) a two-week, intensive summer experience for up to 100 pre-doctoral students in social and personality psychology. The SISPP committee works to select SISPP locations, candidates, faculty, and curates courses and workshops.
Structure
The committee consists of six members. Serving on the committee is a three-year term. Two new members join every year, serving as co-chairs in their third year and past-chairs in their fourth year. Past-chairs serve in an advisory role and are not officially part of the committee.
- 3rd-year Members: Co-Chair (2) Oversee instructor selection (even-numbered years)
- Oversee application review (odd-numbered years)
- 2nd-Year Members (2)
- 1st-Year Members (2)
Eligibility
Committee members should have tenure because of the time involved, but it is not required. Maintaining representation in academic discipline, career stage, geographic location, place of employment (e.g. size of institution, non-academic settings), age, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and other diverse factors is an important factor in committee composition. Committee members must maintain their SPSP membership throughout their tenure on the committee.
Time Commitment
The committee meets regularly (e.g., twice per month) during times when selection processes are happening. Other communication is done primarily via email.