Early Career Committee: Updates for 2021

Whoa, time flies! The SPSP Early Career Committee has been a thing for around a year and a half now. Like past chairs Sarah Gaither and Jim A. C. Everett said in our first newsletter entry in November 2019, we still think we’re the best thing since sliced bread.  Perhaps maybe we have upgraded to millennial avocado toast? In any case, we are super excited to introduce the new composition of the committee, tell you what we have been up to, and update you on our plans for this coming year.

First, roster changes! The Early Career Committee has new leadership and new membership this year.  The committee is now co-chaired by Kat Duggan (North Dakota State University) and Brian Eiler (Davidson College) for the 2021-2022 term. Sarah Huff (University of Denver) and Franki Kung (Purdue University) remain active members, and Gili Freedman (St. Mary’s College of Maryland) and Veronica Lamarche (University of Essex) are new members. Sarah Gaither (Duke University) and Jim A. C. Everett (University of Kent) are now past co-chairs; we are so grateful for their service and expertise. We appreciate their efforts so much that we are holding on to them! They will continue to be involved in the committee (within reason, while promoting life-work balance) over the next year. 

Why are we here? Early Career members (those who are post-PhD at the start of their careers) are a significant part (10%! But this number will grow with our new changes…) of SPSP’s membership. We also have unique needs—many of us are in job transitions, dealing with career instability, squeezed financially, and we are all coping with unique challenges during the pandemic.  SPSP recognizes these challenges and sees them as an opportunity to support Early Career Social/Personality Psychologists. This committee is a crucial step towards making sure Early Career members have a seat at the table when developing SPSP initiatives and planning for our society’s future.

What have we accomplished already? Wow, a whole lot in the past year and a half! In 2019, past (and first!) committee co-chairs Sarah Gaither and Jim A. C. Everett laid out some priorities based on surveys of SPSP members, conference feedback, candid and informal conversations, and our committee’s discussions of what felt both reasonable and impactful. Sarah and Jim wrote a stellar summary here.

To briefly summarize:

  1. We expanded the definition of Early Career membership from three years post-PhD to six years post-PhD (beginning 2022), which helps make being an early career scientist more financially sustainable.
  2. We revamped our society’s awards for early career scientists. Our hope is that these changes will allow more people to apply and to compete for these awards, and will increase the inclusivity and diversity of the work and scholars that are recognized.
  3. We increased early career-specific SPSP programming, including (1) a handy-dandy “Early Career tag” in our conference app that allows attendees to sort by, view, and save early career-specific sessions and posters at our annual meeting; (2) a super fun “Guess Who” and other informal conference sessions; (3) several Free-Form Fridays sessions over the past year; (4) we now run two virtual, two-hour writing groups each week; and (5) we have both continued and sponsored new early career conference programming, including professional development and mentoring sessions.

What are our plans moving forward? We hope to keep our momentum going and continue to work on initiatives relevant to our unique needs and career stage. Considering we are in the midst of a global pandemic and virtual Zoom meeting life, this is a challenge that we hope to meet while maintaining and promoting life-work balance among members of our committee and other early career members more broadly.

  1. All that stuff you just read up there? We hope to keep doing it.  Winking emoji
  2. We plan to monitor the impact of SPSP Early Career Initiatives. We are all scientists and appreciate the need for data to make informed decisions. As such, we plan to return to the original drawing board (i.e., pre-SPSP Early Career Committee member surveys) and the new drawing board (i.e., recent and/or planned early career member surveys) to see how early career members are faring during the pandemic. We will also look at data on early career membership, use of SPSP initiatives, and our awards pre- and post- changes mentioned above to see what is working well and what might need to be changed or updated. We also hope to solicit feedback on the impact of and experiences with our initiatives over the past year. You can get the ball rolling by providing us with informal feedback here.
  3. One of our long term goals is to increase mentorship and provide other tangible resources for Early Career members. This year we hope to begin laying the foundations for these resources in a way that allows them to continue (and grow) in the future. We are considering (for example), a database of syllabi/grant materials accessible only to early career members, developing a mentorship network for EC members to receive mentorship, Hackathons, workshops, and financial support. If you have ideas for materials or resources that would be beneficial for you, we are all ears (or eyes, considering we will probably be reading your message via email). Send us your ideas here!

What else do you need? How can we help? We are open to suggestions and welcome feedback. Any of us would be happy to chat with you on Twitter, via email, or via phone/Zoom (in our pandemic life you may not want to sign yourself up for another e-meeting, but hey, we’re available!). Reach out to us. We’re here to listen, and to try to use the tools at our disposal (thanks, SPSP!) to help. Maybe, if we’re lucky, we’ll even be able to meet in-person and hear from you at our annual meeting in 2022.

Committee Updates: April 2021

Convention Committee – The first ever virtual SPSP convention has concluded, though online access to materials remains available through May 13. Over 3700 people registered for convention, and more than 2900 registered for at least one of the 28 preconferences offered this year. Although the convention committee is planning for a return to an in-person convention in San Francisco in 2022, we’re considering what online elements we may be able to retain to enhance the experience for attendees and to better include members who don’t attend in person. The committee is also discussing updates to the submission portal and review process to continue our efforts to make the program more inclusive and transparent.

Diversity & Climate Committee – During the convention, DCC members planned and executed the undergraduate mentoring event, the SPUR program’s kickoff meeting, two DCC listening lounges, the DCC reception, the diversity award winner admired scholars meetup, and then we welcomed two new members to our committee (Professors Aneeta Rattan and Jessica Remedios). In the listening sessions we heard from members about ways to make SPSP more just and equitable and in 2021 our work will focus on how we can shift the DCC’s work to meet these emerging challenges. We would also like to thank our two outgoing chairs, Professors Kristin Pauker and Daryl Wout, for their leadership as well as their tireless devotion to diversity, equity, and inclusion at SPSP.

Fundraising and Development Committee – We are pleased to report that donations of over $100,000 were received in 2020, which far exceeded our initial goal. Our members generosity, along with their concern for one another and SPSP during this difficult time, is demonstrated by the funds received. The increase was in large part due to funds raised by friends and family members of the late Jenessa Shapiro. We sincerely thank each and every donor for continuing to support the field. One of the major fundraising activities of the committee is to solicit and organize nominations for the SPSP Heritage Wall of Fame. Fundraising is currently underway for a few nominees. Julie Norem and Rick Robins rotated off the committee; we thank them for their efforts and accomplishments on behalf of the Society. We welcome two new members, Jen Pals Lilgendahl and Eranda Jayawickreme.

Professional Development Committee – We had a very successful virtual SPSP convention, with 19 PD sessions and 4 workshops. At the convention, we welcomed two new members to the PD committee: Jeni L. Burnette (North Carolina State University) and Yuthika Girme (Simon Fraser University). We are already starting to plan for the 2022 convention, and are looking over the feedback we received from this past year.  We are also continuing to plan for more professional development opportunities (focusing on online content) outside of the convention. Stay tuned!

Primarily Undergraduate Institutions Committee – The PUI Committee was formed in Fall 2020. The Committee held well-attended virtual events at the SPSP 2021 Convention on balancing teaching and scholarship, networking and resource-sharing, and applying for jobs at PUIs. Immediate goals for the PUI Committee include identifying and curating research and teaching resources especially relevant to PUI members, developing collaborations between PUI members and with members at research institutions, and developing mentorship models for current graduate students interested in pursuing a career at primarily undergraduate institutions.

Student Committee – The Student Committee (SC) recently published a technical report on strategies and insights about the non-academic job market and hosted a Friday Free-Form session on March 19th to discuss the report with SPSP members. We have also been facilitating Spring 2021 Student Writing Groups since mid-January. In addition, we are currently working on our usual programs for the 2022 SPSP convention. Our abstract check service will be available soon this summer to all students.

 

Introducing the 2021-2022 Student Committee

What does the SPSP student committee do? The student committee is responsible for the various events geared towards students at the annual convention (e.g., mentor lunches, student poster awards, Outstanding Research Award). Beyond the events at the convention, the student committee also works hard to make year-round resources available to committee members. One example is the technical report aimed at demystifying the academic job market that was compiled by the 2019-2020 student committee. The 2020-2021 committee is finalizing a parallel report on the non-academic job market. They are also responsible for the articles appearing in the monthly SPSPotlight newsletter. Although this may not be an exhaustive list of the various responsibilities of the student committee members, it provides a glimpse of the yearly accomplishments of the committee members.

Who are the SPSP student committee members? The student committee is composed of 10 elected members, each occupying different roles. Below we introduce the incoming student committee.
 

H. Annie Vu headshotChair – H. Annie Vu, Rutgers University

Hi everybody! I'm a second-year Ph.D. student at Rutgers University-Newark and I work in Dr. Luis Rivera's Rutgers Implicit Social Cognition Lab. I'm interested in (1) how different implicit and explicit self-concepts affect a person's tendency toward prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination and (2) what interventions could be created and implemented to reconcile interpersonal and intergroup conflicts. I'm really excited to continue to serve you on the student committee!

Fun fact: My advisor was away on a professional fellowship in D.C. during my first year in the Ph.D. program and then at the end of my first year the COVID-19 pandemic broke out so I guess I have never had a full normal Ph.D. year.

Stylianos-Syropoulos headshotVice Chair – Stylianos Syropoulos, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Hi everyone! I'm a third-year Ph.D. student in the psychology of peace and violence program, in the social psychology division at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, working under the supervision of Dr. Bernhard Leidner. 

My research interests focus on understanding the antecedents of peace and violence. Specifically, I am interested in how individual differences in perceived safety, worldviews, and ideologies can perpetuate conflict. I am also interested in how high-quality close relationships can potentially exert positive downstream intergroup effects and promote conflict resolution. Currently, I am conducting my Master's Thesis on the potential of harmonious worldviews to promote constructive national identification. I am honored to have the chance to serve the student body of SPSP as a member of the Student Committee, and I am looking forward to meeting and interacting with everyone.

Fun fact: I love otters! In fact, once I traversed 10 miles while in Copenhagen so I could get the chance to see one at their aquarium.

Fernanda Andrade headshotPast Chair –  Fernanda Andrade, Duke University

Hello everyone! I'm a third-year Ph.D. student in the social psychology program at Duke University, working with Dr. Rick Hoyle. I am interested in the role of individual differences in self-regulatory capacity and skills in the pursuit of health goals. I'm also interested in how our salient and valued identities influence the valuing and pursuit of health goals. Serving on the SPSP student committee has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of graduate school, and I look forward to serving you for another year!

Fun fact: I’ve been playing with watercolors and bullet journaling since the pandemic started, and it’s been my favorite self-care activity since then!

Katie Austin headshotSPSPotlight Co-Editor – Katie Austin, University of Texas at Dallas

My name is Katie White Austin and I'm a PhD candidate at the University of Texas at Dallas. I'm in my 4th year of the Psychological Sciences Doctoral Program where I work with Dr. Heidi Kane. My research interests primarily center around social support experiences in close relationships. My current research focuses on the use of affectionate touch to promote positive health behaviors and adaptive coping behaviors across different kinds of close relationships. I have thoroughly enjoyed my role as SPSPotlight co-editor this past year, and I'm looking forward to another wonderful year ahead. If you have suggestions or ideas for what you'd like the student newsletter to cover, don't hesitate to reach out!

Fun fact: I have 6 siblings, and I love my big and tight-knit family!

Sharlene-Fernandes headshotSPSPotlight Co-Editor – Sharlene Fernandes, Georgia State University

Hey everyone, I’m Sharlene! I’m currently a PhD student at Dr. Eyal Aharoni’s Cooperation, Conflict, and Cognition Lab at Georgia State University. My research interests include studying how people’s emotions and personality traits shape their reactions to unfairness. I use economic games to understand punishment of fairness violations. I’m also currently working on projects that examine how moral values and psychopathic traits contribute to criminal behavior. I’m excited to work as a co-editor for the (SPSPotlight) newsletter this year! If you have any ideas or suggestions for the newsletter, please feel free to send me an email. I’d be happy to hear from you.

Fun fact: I love beaches and trying cuisines from different cultures and countries. A more superficial fact: I recently found out that I have genetic markers for hair photobleaching (and my hair does actually get lighter when I spend time in the sun!).

Abdo-Elnakouri headshotMember-at-Large – Abdo Elnakouri, University of Waterloo

Hey everyone! I'm a third-year PhD student at the University of Waterloo. Much of my research tries to understand how people's mundane everyday goals work to subtly shape their broader moral, political, and religious commitments. For example, in a line of work with Dr. Abby Scholer and Dr. Ian McGregor, we find that people attempt to deal with hard life decisions by steering towards particular ideological commitments.  I'm excited to serve on the Student Committee this year; please feel free to reach out with any comments or suggestions. :)

Fun fact: I won a speech competition in grade 4 for a talk on dinosaurs. Some say that was my career peak.

Martha Berg headshotMember-at-Large – Martha Berg, University of Michigan

Hello everyone! I am a 4th year PhD student in Social Psychology at the University of Michigan, where I work with Shinobu Kitayama and Ethan Kross to study how cultural and relational dynamics influence our judgments and decisions, particularly moral decisions. Before this, I was at Duke University, where I completed a BS in Psychology and an MS in Global Health. I'm looking forward to getting started on the Student Committee!

Fun fact: The new pandemic-friendly hobby I've picked up recently is knitting! I've been enjoying knitting lots of hats and sweaters to keep me warm during the long, cold Ann Arbor winter :)

Christian-Kotoye headshotMember-at-Large – Christian Kotoye, Oakland University

Hey y'all! I am a third-year doctoral student and research assistant at Oakland University. I'm currently working in both the Cognition and Behavior (CAB) Laboratory, with Dr. Martha Escobar and in the Personality and Evolutionary Psychology (PEP) Laboratory with Dr. Melissa McDonald. My research is focused on furthering the investigation of intergroup conflict and bias from a social psychological perspective while also understanding the evolved psychology that underlies these phenomena. Specifically, I am interested in how race drives biases in social relationships, in policing, and in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics fields. 

I am looking forward to serving as the first member-at-large that is responsible for Diversity Initiatives. 

Fun fact: I am an avid traveler and a foodie. I have perfected my ramen, sushi, fufu, and stew, and my fried chicken wing recipes. 

Andres-Gvirtz headshotMember-at-Large – Andrés Gvirtz, University of Cambridge

Hi everyone, I’m a Ph.D. student in the Personality and Social Dynamics Research Group at the University of Cambridge and a Visiting Fellow within the Organizational Behavior Program at Harvard University. I am interested in understanding behavior through an interactionalist lens, combining personality and environmental information. One of my latest projects used, e.g. Yelp data in combination with a large-scale personality survey to link neighbourhood personalities and local amenities. In the past, I worked on advanced analytics- and organizational behavior projects for a range of management consulting firms, including McKinsey & Company and the Boston Consulting Group.  I really love the SPSP spirit and family and am happy to contribute to the Student Committee’s professional development effort.

Fun fact: When I was younger, I had an Axolotl as a pet, it’s a salamander with gills and lungs!

Zaviera-Panlilio headshotMember-at-Large – Zaviera Panlilio, University at Buffalo, SUNY

I am a fourth-year Ph.D. student interested in goal-motivated behavior. More specifically, I am interested in examining construal level and progress effects on persistence in a variety of domains from health to social justice-related behaviors. 

Fun fact: I love to give talks and have presented on everything from Japanese kawaii culture to emotion regulation strategies.

Committee Updates: December 2020

Awards Committee – The Awards Committee has focused on three goals for 2020/2021. First, the Awards Committee now has a working handbook outlining activities and deadline dates, including submission deadlines, addition of new panel members, etc. The award descriptions and criteria are now in a document for easier access and comprehension. Finally, the awards committee has been working with SPSP administration to evaluate the current award selection process and make changes/improvements as needed.

Convention Committee – The Convention Committee has been putting the finishing touches on SPSP’s first virtual convention! Nearly 90 symposia were accepted this year (a 57% acceptance rate, up quite a bit over the last several years), as well as 30 data blitz presentations, 72 single-paper submissions, 23 professional development sessions and workshops, and over 1600 posters. We have also scheduled several special invited sessions throughout the virtual meeting. The SPSP staff has been exploring platforms that will help us make the most out of our virtual conference environment, and we funded several family care grants that will offset the costs of SPSP members who require childcare, elder care, or care due to disability to attend the virtual conference. We look forward to “seeing” you in 2021!

Diversity & Climate Committee – The DCC Committee submitted an NSF grant proposal to fund an expanded version of the Social-Personality Undergraduate Research (SPUR) Program for three years. The Committee has also been hard at work reviewing Graduate and Undergraduate Diversity Award applications and planning for the upcoming SPSP Convention. Look for forthcoming announcements about this year’s virtual Diversity Reception at SPSP and information on how to host space within the DCC Committee’s virtual lounge!

Early Career Committee – The Early Career Committee has been busy leading various Free-Form Fridays and Webinars! At highly attended sessions over the past few months, we have covered: Applying to Academic Jobs in the UK; Teaching Track Positions; NIH Repayment Loan Applications, Academic Careers in Applied Areas, and How to Make your Research and Teaching Inclusive and Representative! 

Fundraising and Development Committee – Fundraising has gone well during the latter half of 2020. Our current fundraising for the year is $100,000, which far exceeds our initial goal of $65,000. We view this as a testament to the generosity of our members, and their concern for one another and SPSP during this difficult time. We are pleased to announce that James M. Jones will be added to the Heritage Wall of Fame.  Fundraising continues for new nominees, and the Committee is working to broaden representation among the nominees.  We are also in the process of choosing two new members to join the Committee next spring.

Government Relations Committee – The Government Relations Committee recently hosted a Free-Form Fridays event to brainstorm about how our committee can best serve the society's interests. In the coming months, members of our committee are chairing an exciting professional development panel at the February 2021 SPSP conference to address how social/personality psychology researchers can engage with and influence public policy. Panel members will be Bob Cialdini, Jack Glaser, Wendy Naus (COSSA), and Lindsey Cary (Ontario Public Service). We hope you'll join us!

Professional Development Committee – This fall, the professional development committee has been busy planning for the 2021 virtual convention. We received a number of outstanding submissions for professional development sessions and workshops, of which 16 were accepted. In addition, because most people are currently socially isolating during the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been offering more online content than usual this year. In October, the professional development committee hosted a Free-Form Fridays session on Zoom and brainstormed ideas for future SPSP programming. We looking forward to seeing everyone at the virtual convention in February!

Student Committee – The Student Committee (SC) has had a busy year! After hosting successful rounds of student writing groups in the summer and fall, the SC is currently accepting sign-ups for the Spring 2021 Student Writing Groups. This fall, we have also successfully coordinated a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Workshop as part of the SPSP series of webinars on racism, bias and diversity. The recording is now available online. Finally, the SC is working hard on several student-oriented events taking place during the 2021 online convention, including the mentoring events (also known as mentoring lunches), which are now open for registration (Friday and Saturday sessions), and a live professional development symposium on the academic job market—stay tuned for a call for questions for the panelists! Curious about other professional paths? The SPSP SC has been working hard on a report on the non-academic job market survey, which we will release this spring! Follow us on social media to stay up to date!  

SPSP Seeks Nominations for Next Editor of Personality and Social Psychology Review

The Publications Committee and the Board of Directors of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology have opened nominations for the editorship of Personality and Social Psychology Review (PSPR). The editor's term will be January 1, 2022–December 31, 2025. The editor's stature in the field should be commensurate with PSPR's high quality and impact; the editor typically holds the rank of professor.

Nominations should include a CV and statement of interest which should include a brief description of editorial philosophy (one page or less). Self-nominations are encouraged. Selection will be based on editorial experience, scholarly record, and vision for the journal.

Submissions

All inquiries and/or nominations should be submitted to Ed Hirt, Chair of the Editor Search Committee, [email protected].

Timeline

February 28, 2021
Nominations for editorship due 
March 1, 2021
PSPR Editor Search Committee (ESC) to review nominations (Ed Hirt, Niall Bolger, Bill Chopik, and Laura King with an additional member TBD)
July 1, 2021
Final recommendation from the ESC submitted to the Board of Directors for approval at summer Board meeting
August 15, 2021
Selected editor notified and announced to the membership

Committee Updates: September 2020

International Committee – Our mission is to help psychological science be about all people, across world regions and cultures. Towards that goal, we put together a Professional Development Workshop entitled "Conducting Social Psychological Research in non-WEIRD settings,” submitted to the upcoming SPSP Annual Meeting. In addition, we received excellent proposals for the newly launched International Bridge Building Travel Award, which we hope will serve as an incubator for testing innovative ideas to help achieve our mission.  Starting next year, psychological scientists from the Middle East and South America will join our committee as members.

Convention Committee – The Convention Committee has been busy planning SPSP’s first virtual convention! We received over 1,600 submissions and will be sending out acceptances in the next few weeks. We continued to offer two submission options that have proven successful: (1) presentations based on not-yet-collected-or-analyzed data, and (2) a “single-presenter” track, which allows submissions to be simultaneously considered for a talk, datablitz, or poster. We are also working to incorporate perspectives from members in non-academic settings and to increase transparency about acceptance decisions. Stay tuned for more details about the virtual convention and program!

Early Career Committee – The Early Career Committee hosted successful virtual writing sessions twice a week across the summer that helped build community and research writing accountability. They were so great, that we are continuing to offer writing sessions this fall term too! Please reach out if you want to join! We also had a successful election for two new incoming committee members starting after SPSP 2021, showing the continued interest in this new committee!

Fundraising and Development Committee – We suspended fundraising from March through May 2020, both because we were concerned that appeals during this difficult time might be seen as insensitive, and because we were developing new initiatives to address COVID-specific concerns among our membership.  During this time, the Committee focused on compiling a more diverse list of candidates for the Wall of Fame for this year’s two fundraising cycles.  In response to the pandemic, we instituted Emergency Bridging Grants, and dedicated all of the funds from the Annual Campaign run through June and July to these grants. SPSP provided $500 Emergency Bridge Grants to 37 SPSP members. 

Government Relations Committee – The Government Relations Committee had a busy first year and is now moving forward with several exciting initiatives. In the coming months, we will be launching a second Social Science Vignette challenge, focusing on the role our field can play in the response to COVID-19. In the meantime, we submitted a professional development symposium for SPSP 2021 to start a broader discussion about how our field can interface with public policy, and we have been attending monthly "Headlines" webinars on social science policy hosted by COSSA (Consortium of Social Science Associations).     

Professional Development Committee – This summer the Professional Development Committee has been busy planning for next year’s virtual convention. We solicited the SPSP membership for PD sessions and workshops on a variety of topics and have received a number of excellent submissions, which we are in the final process of reviewing. In addition, because most people are currently socially isolating during the COVID-19 pandemic, we are trying to offer more online content than usual this year, including the ever-popular #SPSPchats on Twitter and more webinars. Over the summer, Benjamin Le (Haverford College) and Yanna Weisberg put together a great webinar on teaching online for faculty at liberal arts institutions. We are currently planning a webinar series on power analysis. If you would like to teach or organize a webinar this fall that you think would be of interest to the SPSP membership please let us (chairs Rich Slatcher and Alex Schoemann) know!

Student Committee – The Student Committee (SC) has been busy preparing a survey of the non-academic job market, in an effort to help students better understand what the experience is like and how to prepare. After successfully hosting eight six-week summer writing groups, the Student Committee has also been coordinating efforts to maintain these groups during the fall. In addition, the SC has been coordinating a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Workshop as part of the SPSP series of webinars on racism, bias and diversity. Finally, the SC is getting ready to receive submissions for the Outstanding Research Award and Student Poster Awards, and are already recruiting reviewers. 

SPSP’s First Delegation to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland

Recently, SPSP has stepped up its international efforts by acquiring Special Consultative status with the United Nations. This new status allows SPSP to engage with the UN, enter the UN buildings in New York, Vienna, and Geneva with an official UN delegate badge, and participate in and organize a wide range of meetings, expert committees, and events. To get the most out of this new status, SPSP has also set up a new SPSP UN Committee, in order to coordinate delegations and liaise between the SPSP membership and the UN opportunities.

Tobias Ebert, Rakoen Maertens, Anatolia Batruch and Nicolas Sommet
The Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP)’s first delegation to the United Nations on November 29, 2023. UN Office at Geneva, Switzerland.

In the first months after setting up this new committee, we started reaching out to UN representatives of other psychology organizations, including the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI). This resulted in especially good contacts with APA's Senior International Affairs Officer, Gabriel Twose, who warmly invited us to join APA for an event at the UN in Geneva on using psychological science to help reach the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The event was titled "Emotions – A missing link towards delivering the SDGs and long-term sustainability?", and promised to gather a wide range of experts in applied social and personality psychology with practitioners at the UN in Geneva.

The SPSP UN Committee took up the challenge and brought together its first even SPSP UN delegation. The delegates were Anatolia Batruch (University of Lausanne), Tobias Ebert (University of St. Gallen), Nicolas Sommet (University of Lausanne), and myself (Rakoen Maertens, University of Oxford). It started with a strategic meeting over Zoom to discuss our strategy. The strategy for this first delegation was simple, with three direct goals: 1) putting our new special status with the UN to the test by collecting our delegate badges and seeing if we can autonomously enter the UN as representatives of SPSP, 2) contributing to the discussions related to the event, and 3) starting to explore partnerships with other psychology organizations and UN agencies.

That is when we come to November 29, 2023—the day when the first ever SPSP UN delegation arrived in Geneva. I first met up with Tobi Ebert, whom I have known for a couple of years and meet every year at the SPSP Annual Convention. Our meeting point was the main entrance to the UN. Just waiting there and looking at the many country flags already brings a sense of awe: we really are about to enter the heart of international diplomacy. It went smoothly; after being greeted by very kind security staff, they sent us to the delegate badge creation building, where again we were greeted by a friendly team. After taking the worst possible photos to be printed on the delegate badge, we had the honor of wearing SPSP's first-ever delegate badges. We were then free to explore the UN, as official SPSP delegates. Goal #1 accomplished.

UN Badge

While Anatolia and Nicolas arrived and went through security, Tobi and I explored the venues, bumping into delegates from all over the world, reflecting the UN's diversity. It was worth it to have a coffee and walk into one of the larger congregation rooms, to get a sense of what is going on. The views were often incredible, and occasionally we would spot a peacock trying to enter the UN buildings as well, but as they did not have a delegate badge as we did they could not enter the buildings. In the various coffee areas, you can see delegates from all backgrounds sipping their coffee while discussing the latest policies with fellow delegates. Being there makes you feel part of something bigger than yourself.

Switzerland countryside

Finally, we met Anatolia and Nicolas in front of the venue of the event, thereby making our delegation complete. An excellent moment for a photo of the full delegation. We entered the building to find a wide range of people from different backgrounds, from academics with expertise in the psychology of emotion to UN practitioners applying climate psychology to enact real-life behavioral change on a large scale. The event included interesting discussions with Prof. Tobias Brosch (Chair for Psychology of Sustainable Development, University of Geneva), Dr. Branka Pollermann (Independent Researcher, Vox Institute), Prof. Disa Sauter (Associate Professor, University of Amsterdam), Garrette Clark (Sustainable Lifestyles Programme Officer, UN Environment Programme), Özge Aydoğan (Director, SDG Lab), and Edward Mishaud (Senior Adviser, SDG Lab) about how to use the psychological, behavioral, and affective sciences to help reach the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and in particular those related to climate change. Members of SPSP's delegation actively participated and added two topics to the discussion, asking questions about the role of misinformation, and how to make sure that we do not lose oversight of the complexity of some of these problems when focusing on a small aspect of the problem (e.g., emotion). Goal #2 accomplished.

UN Building

After the main discussions, we joined the networking reception, where we met with representatives from the American Psychological Association (APA), the European Federation of Psychologists' Associations (EFPA), the Federation of Swiss Psychologists (FSP), and the University of Geneva (UNIGE). With these connections, we will now seek collaborations to do tangible work with the UN, with the long-term goal of turning this into a true coalition that brings psychology to the various dimensions of the UN's work thereby increasing SPSP's impact on the world stage. Goal #3 accomplished.

In summary, we reached all three of our goals: we received and used our delegate badges, we actively contributed to an event at the UN, and we have made valuable connections with potential future partners for work at the UN. The first delegation of SPSP to the UN was a success, and now the path is open for more strategic work in the future. And above all, everyone in the delegation really enjoyed the work, leaving great memories of collaboration across SPSP delegates, countries, and Universities.

If you would like to learn more about our work and are planning to attend SPSP's 2024 Annual Convention, please do join us on Friday, February 9 at 5:00 PM US PT for our launch event, titled "SPSP at the UN: Launch Event & Inaugural Info Session". The event is set to be held in Room 15B on the Mezzanine Level at the San Diego Convention Center.

SPSP UN Committee

Friedrich Götz (University of British Columbia | https://twitter.com/FriedrichMGoetz)
Rakoen Maertens (University of Oxford | https://twitter.com/RakoenMaertens)
Amber Gayle Thalmayer (University of Zurich)
Support: Stephen Waldron (Communications and Public Relations Manager at SPSP)

 

SPSP Announces Results of First Publications Demographics Survey

As part of an effort to enhance inclusive excellence in publication practices, the SPSP Promoting Inclusive Excellence in Publications Committee has asked editorial boards and editor teams of its journals to complete a demographics survey. Collecting these data makes it possible to track representation over time.

The survey will be administered yearly and the results of the first survey are available below, in aggregate. We hope to expand on this report to include authors and reviewers as well. SPSP is sharing this information publicly in the interest of transparency and accountability. When possible, reporting results for specific and disaggregated identities and subgroups is preferred. However, for this report, SPSP has regrouped identities together under more general terms to maintain confidentiality and gain a simplified understanding of the data.

Read the full report

SPSP would like to thank the Anti-Colorism and Eurocentrism in Methods and Practices (ACEMAP) task force for developing this survey and devoting their time and energy to this project. Going forward, results from this survey will guide SPSP's efforts to become a more inclusive and diverse organization that fosters the research and development of personality and social psychological science to improve society.

If you have any questions about the survey or the ACEMAP task force, please contact SPSP Executive Director Rachel Puffer at [email protected].

 

Apply Now to Volunteer with SPSP

SPSP is fortunate to have over 300 volunteers supporting the many activities of the organization throughout the year. Whether you are looking to make connections, gain insights into society operations or expand your service to the field, getting involved as an SPSP committee member will provide you these opportunities. Volunteering increases future opportunities within SPSP as the Nomination & Elections Committee considers these engagement activities when evaluating for leadership roles.

We are currently recruiting volunteers to serve on a variety of SPSP committees. Most committee terms begin April 1, 2024, and are a two or three-year commitment. Learn more about the SPSP committees here. Committee members receive complimentary convention meeting registration for their active years of service. We encourage members at all levels of their careers (including graduate students and early career folk) to get involved!

The deadline to be considered for these opportunities is November 16 at 11:59 PM US PT. Current committee members will review the submissions and make recommendations to the Nominations and Elections Committee. The Board of Directors will approve the final slate of committee appointments at their summer meeting.

Applications Closed

Volunteer for the SPSP Student Committee

Please note that there is a separate form for student volunteers. If you would like to serve on the SPSP Student Committee, please complete the application form below.

Apply Today

Questions? Reach out to SPSP Senior Governance and Recognition Manager Crystal Moore at [email protected]. We look forward to working with you in the near future and are happy to answer any questions about these roles.

 

Apply to Host the Next Summer Institute for Social and Personality Psychology

The 2023 SPSP Summer Institute for Social and Personality Psychology (SISPP) just wrapped up and the SISPP Committee is looking for our next host institution! Be a part of this two-week summer experience for pre-doctoral students by hosting the program. By all accounts, the summer institute has been a success; student attendees and faculty instructors rave about the opportunity, and you can see that feedback below!

Submit your letter of interest by October 15, 2023.

Requirements

Criteria for a U.S.-based SISPP site are: 

  • Availability to host 100 students and 10-12 faculty in the second half of July.
  • A reasonably large social psychology program (at least three or four active faculty) to work on local arrangements and supply one or two course co-instructors. An honorarium is provided for both local organizers and faculty that teach during SISPP. 
  • A university conference division that is experienced in running conferences and can handle the details of registration, meal tickets, assigning rooms for the SISPP students, etc.
  • An attractive location (in terms of natural beauty, cultural and social opportunities, etc.) where people will want to come. 
  • Access to transportation (proximity to a major airport). 
  • If possible, the availability of some financial support (or in-kind contributions) from the host university, to supplement existing funding from NSF and SPSP. 
  • Appropriate facilities for instruction, informal meetings, participant access to e-mail, etc. 

Application 

  • Prepare a statement (approximately one page long), describing how your proposed site meets the above requirements, and including any additional information the committee should consider
  • Email SPSP Executive Director Rachel Puffer at [email protected], by October 15, 2023
  • The committee will review all statements, then proceed to negotiations with sites that appear to best meet the criteria, and reach a final decision by mid-November. 

Recent Student Feedback

"Feeling bittersweet as I leave #SISPP and all the amazing people I met there. From bonding over board games to important discussions about research and careers, I couldn't have been happier to have this experience the past two weeks. The future of social psych is in good hands."
- Emily Esposito

"Y'all stop what you doing because #SISPP is THE place to be! I absolutely loved the last couple weeks at Ohio State with such an amazing group of social/personality students. I've created lifelong friendships, collaborations, and family with these folx! Thanks, SPSP."
- Troy A. Kearse, Jr.

"I feel very lucky to have met and befriended so many incredibly smart, funny, and genuinely wonderful people at #SISPP 2023! Truly one of the best and most formative experiences of my career and I can't wait to see y'all again at SPSP soon! Thank you for everything!"
- Jason Proulx

"Nothing quite recharges my intellectual battery like learning from and being surrounded by brilliant & fierce scholars in my field and getting to know kind & generous people. The future is bright y'all!"
- Apoorva Sarmal

"Just wrapped up the incredible SPSP summer school #SISPP and I feel absolutely inspired! The passion there was infectious, and the camaraderie among fellow attendees made the experience even more enriching. Thanks for an unforgettable experience. Grateful for these friendships!"
- Ke Wang

Past host institutions have included  

  • University of Colorado, Boulder (2003) 
  • University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (2005) 
  • University of Texas, Austin (2007) 
  • Northwestern (2009) 
  • Princeton University (2011) 
  • University of California – Davis (2013) 
  • Northeastern University (2015) 
  • University of Southern California (2017) 
  • New York University (2019) 
  • Ohio State University (2023)