This Month in APS History

The American Psychological Society turns 15 on August 12, 2003. In celebration of this milestone, the Observer will be featuring brief notes detailing events that marked the history of the Society.

Before APS, there was the Assembly for Scientific and Applied Psychology. ASAP was created soon after the American Psychological Association Council rejection of the Bardon plan, which sought to reorganize APA into two assemblies: scientific and professional practice. The organizers sought to promote the interests of scientific and academic psychology in APA.

Formed in anticipation of the Group on Restructuring APA reorganization plan which sought to create five semi-autonomous assemblies within APA, including assemblies for basic science, applied science, and professional practice, ASAP members became the core founders of APS. The early days of ASAP revolved around an interim coordination committee, chaired by Stephen C. Hayes, also the first editor of the Observer.

For more on APS history, visit www.psychologicalscience.org/history. A special symposium, APS at 15: Reflections on the Founding, will be presented at the upcoming 15th Annual Convention. Chaired by David B. Baker, director of the Archives of American Psychology, and in honor of APS’s founding President, the late Charles Kiesler.