Advocacy and Policy
Government Relations

The Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) advocates for research among the various legislative and executive agencies. In addition, the SPSP Government Relations Committee (GRC) monitors federal legislation affecting science, advocates for funding for social and personality psychology, and collaborates with other social science organizations to do the same.

Advocating on Behalf of Social Psychology

The GRC regularly holds the “Why Social Science” contest—challenging early career and graduate student members to explain, in 100 words or less, how social psychological research can help address societal problems. Read the winning entries from our most recent contest.

Bringing Social Psychology to the Policymakers

Social Science Advocacy Day  - SPSP members are welcome to attend the Consortium of Social Science Association (COSSA) Advocacy Day to ensure social and personality psychologists voices are heard by policymakers.

Strong government policy requires the input of researchers who can effectively communicate their science to legislators.

Four people interlocking hands

SPSP’s State of the Research Report

Want to learn how personality and social psychology can help address societal challenges? Check out SPSP’s new State of the Research report, which shares research findings that can translate to actionable policy solutions to challenges like disinformation, climate change, and systemic inequality.

Advocacy Priority Areas

How to Foster Policy-Relevant Psychological Research

The webinars and resource toolkits listed above were developed in 2023 as part of a collaborative effort to demystify the process of conducting policy-relevant research for those who are a) already doing it, b) interested in doing it, and c) mentoring and evaluating others who are doing it. The series was sponsored by SPSP, as well as APA Divisions 9, 27, 35, 44, and 45. The project received funding from the Committee on Division/APA Relations (CODAPAR). Our goal is to enhance psychologists' knowledge and skills in the broad domain of policy and practice implications of psychological research.

A person's hands typing on a computer.

Action Alert

Congress will be preparing legislation over the coming months that will determine funding for federal science and data agencies for next year (FY 2023). Now is the time to tell them to fight for social and behavioral science funding. Learn how COSSA can connect you with your member of Congress today.

Advocacy and Policy
Impact Vignettes

Advocacy and Policy
Get Involved

For more information on getting involved with SPSP Advocacy Activities, contact any member of the Government Relations Committee.

If you’d like to learn about opportunities to advocate for the use of social and behavioral science research in federal policy, update your email subscriptions at my.spsp.org to receive messages from SPSP.

“Why Social Science?” - COSSA's blog focuses on the impact of social science research on the world by answering "Why Social Science?" Find out "why" today.