Incoming PSPI Editor Colleen Seifert Outlines Her Goals for the Journal

APS Fellow Colleen Seifert, the incoming editor of Psychological Science in the Public Interest (PSPI), is accepting new proposals for topics to cover in the journal.  

Seifert is succeeding APS William James Fellow Nora Newcombe, who has served as editor since 2019. Published three times per year, PSPI features comprehensive state-of-the-science reviews of issues that are of direct relevance to policy–makers and the public.   

Seifert is an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan. Her research includes projects on divergent thinking and improvisation, learning through causal explanations, and memory and misinformation.  

The Observer recently asked Seifert about her goals for the journal during her term as Editor. 

Related content: Seifert Is the New Editor of PSPI

What goals do you have for the journal under your tenure? Do you plan any significant changes or additions to the journal itself or to the types of articles being published? 

My vision for Psychological Science in the Public Interest is informed by the high standards set by its previous editor, Nora Newcombe. My favorite PSPI papers offer expert consensus supported by strong empirical evidence. Then, in a format unique to PSPI, they go further to apply their conclusions to real-world problems and contexts. I see the goal of PSPI as identifying the tremendous value of psychological science in the world. 

What topics are you most interested in pursuing for PSPI? 

I see the need to capture contributions to science across a wide spectrum of methods, questions, and findings. My major goal is to expand the range of topics highlighted in PSPI so that articles serve as exemplars of how diverse questions are addressed within the field of psychology. I will welcome suggestions for topics that are ready for documenting what psychologists know and how it may impact the public interest and people’s lives. 

How might you try to bring authors together to write about topics that might be somewhat controversial or contentious? 

The dialectics of rival ideas is the cornerstone of science; however, PSPI pushes the field further through deep dives about what is known about a topic through detailed descriptions of methods and findings. The leap in PSPI papers lies in proposing how these solid principles play out in circumstances difficult to examine scientifically. This requires authors to take a big step back from their technical expertise and imagine how major findings may inform policy, public service communications, and decision-making in the world.

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