APA 2024, the annual convention of the American Psychological Association, will be held Aug. 8-10 at the Seattle Convention Center. The meeting will feature hundreds of sessions – including main stage events, keynote lectures, symposia and posters – and will have a limited virtual component.
Main stage events, held each day of the convention, will focus on the impact psychology can have on three major issues:
Combating the Loneliness Epidemic (Thursday, Aug. 8)
As the U.S. surgeon general sounds the alarm on the loneliness epidemic, the need for connection has never been greater. Fortunately, psychological research, groundbreaking community initiatives and innovative therapeutic approaches are reshaping our understanding of loneliness and connection.
Julianne Holt-Lunstad, PhD, Brigham Young University
Ramani Durvasula, PhD, California State University, Los Angeles
Marisa Franco, PhD, The University of Maryland
Amit Sood, Global Center for Resiliency & Wellbeing & The GRIT Institute
Safeguarding Public Health in the Misinformation Era (Friday, Aug. 9)
Independent researchers who study how to halt misinformation are under attack by activists and advocacy groups. Many social media platforms are scaling back their content moderation programs. Institutions working to stop misinformation and improve health communication are facing lawsuits to stop their work. Health misinformation, in particular, is a global threat with drastic consequences, such as increasing health inequities. This session will focus on how psychologists and institutions can push back with tools that are effective.
Dolores Albarracín, PhD, University of Pennsylvania
Tania Israel, PhD, University of California, Santa Barbara
Briony Swire-Thompson, PhD, Northeastern University
Sander van der Linden, PhD, Cambridge University
Chris Voegeli, PhD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Charles Duhigg, The New Yorker (moderator)
Demystifying Artificial Intelligence with Psychological Science (Saturday, Aug. 10)
Artificial intelligence is transforming psychology, offering unprecedented opportunities for innovation in research, clinical practice and education. While this "super-disruptive technology" poses challenges, from ethical concerns surrounding equity, manipulation and harm, it also offers hope for meeting the need for care and increasing psychologists’ impact and efficacy.
Adrian Aguilera, PhD, UC Berkeley Social Welfare Digital Health Equity and Access Lab
Tara Behrend, PhD, Michigan State University
Smriti Joshi, MA, MPhil, Wysa
Margie Morris, PhD, University of Washington
Ericka Rovira, PhD, United States Military Academy, West Point
Meredith Broussard, MFA, Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute of New York University (moderator)
APA Public Affairs staff will be available on site to help facilitate interviews after the main stage sessions.
The full program for APA 2024 can be found online.
Main stage events, keynotes and select symposia will be livestreamed; recordings of those sessions will be available to registrants following the meeting. The virtual meeting will also offer access to thousands of poster presentations. More information on the virtual meeting can be found online.
APA will offer a press room onsite with workspaces, internet connections and resources for reporters. Registration is complimentary for credentialed members of the media. Reporters wishing to request media registration should contact the APA Office of Public Affairs at public.affairs@apa.org.
The American Psychological Association, in Washington, D.C., is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States. APA’s membership includes over 157,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance the creation, communication and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve lives.