APA 2023, the annual convention of the American Psychological Association, will be held Aug. 3-5 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. 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 at 11 a.m. EDT each day of the convention, will focus on the impact psychology can have on three major issues:
Flourishing at Work (Thursday, Aug. 3)
The world of work is teetering between two possible futures: One in which work adds meaning to our lives, enhances our well-being, catalyzes bold innovation, and drives transformative change; or one in which work fuels burnout and harms health, exploits vulnerable workers, deepens inequality, and stalls innovation. Psychologists will present on the role work plays in people’s lives, reconstructing work to promote lifelong mental health, embracing equity and diversity, and magnifying the possibilities of industry and innovation to create workplaces where people flourish.
Amy Edmondson, PhD, Harvard Business School
Vivian Woo, PhD, Culture Amp
Courtney Bryant Shelby, PhD
Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, American Psychological Association
Hope as the Antidote (Friday, Aug. 4)
Hope is one of humanity’s most powerful emotions and a key predictor for well-being. Hope is more than just blind optimism; it’s an action. Leading researchers on hope will discuss how psychologists can actively cultivate it and imbue it in their work and beyond.
Wahajat Ali, author and journalist, Daily Beast, Moderator
Chan Hellma, PhD, The University of Oklahoma
Marybeth Medvide, PhD, Suffolk University
Benjamin Hardy, PhD, organizational psychologist
Jacqueline Mattis, PhD, Rutgers University
Thema Bryant, PhD, president, American Psychological Association
Mind Meets Machine (Saturday, Aug. 5)
Artificial intelligence has the potential to revolutionize psychology. From analyzing data, to providing new tools for treating patients, to offering insights into human behavior, the possibilities of AI are seemingly endless. AI will likely change psychology, but psychologists also have the power to change AI, using the best science available to ensure that AI systems are being used responsibly and ethically to protect patients and the public.
Kim Mills, MA, American Psychological Association (moderator)
Jessica Jackson, PhD, Modern Health
Arathi Sethumadhavan, PhD, Google
Daniel Oppenheimer, PhD, Carnegie Mellon University
Vaile Wright, PhD, American Psychological Association
The meeting will also feature 18 keynote lectures by prominent psychologists, including:
- Nii A. Addy, PhD, Yale School of Medicine - "Addressing Substance Use and Mood Disorders with Neuroscience, Advocacy, and Social Justice Tools"
- Charlan J. Nemeth, PhD, University of California, Berkeley - "The Best and Worst Routes to Good Decision Making: Dissent and Consensus"
- Robert McKinley Sellers, PhD, University of Michigan - "Why Psychology Needs Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion"
- Judson Brewer, MD, PhD, Brown University School of Public Health - "Unwinding Anxiety: Can Insights From the Science of Habit Help Change How We View and Work With Anxiety?"
- Britt Wray, PhD, Stanford Medicine - "Keeping Cool in an Era of Climate Anxiety"
- Marisa Franco, PhD, University of Maryland - "How to Make Friends"
- Laurence Steinberg, PhD, Temple University - "Parents and Their Adult Children: How They Can Grow Together in Challenging Times"
- Marianne Celano, PhD, Emory University School of Medicine - "Advancing Social Change through Media: Children’s Literature"
- Richard M. Lee, PhD, University of Minnesota - "Learning and Healing Through Comics"
- Rick Doblin, PhD, Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies - "MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD: Potential Need for 25,000 Trained Therapists"
A full list of keynotes can be found on the convention website. The full program for APA 2023 is also available.
Main stage events, keynotes and select symposia will be livestreamed; recordings of those sessions will be available to registrants for three months following the meeting. The virtual meeting will also offer access to thousands of poster presentations. A full agenda for the virtual meeting can be found online.
PRESS ROOM (Room 209C):
Facilities on site will include workspace, wireless connections for laptops/tablets, high-speed printers, coffee and soft drinks. This room will be the site of news briefings if any are held during the convention. Look for press room signage on site.
Hours (Eastern Daylight Time):
Thursday, Aug. 3, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Friday and Saturday, Aug. 4 and 5, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Registration:
Media can register on site in the press room, in advance by emailing APA Public Affairs, or by calling (202) 336-5700. Complimentary media registration is limited to credentialed journalists and journalists with assignment letters on media organization letterhead. All media personnel must be registered and wear their convention badges while attending convention sessions or activities.
Media can make hotel reservations online.