American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association is the principal professional and scientific organization for psychologists in the United States and one of the world's largest psychological associations.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
The American Psychological Association (APA) is a Washington, D.C.-based professional and scientific organization representing psychologists and advancing psychology as a discipline and applied practice. Founded in 1892 at Clark University by an initial group of approximately 30 psychologists, it developed from a small learned society into a large membership association serving researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants, students and other psychology professionals. The organization describes its work through science, education, practice, public policy, communications and professional standards. APA operates through an elected president, a Board of Directors, a Council of Representatives and a large network of boards, committees, divisions and affiliated psychological associations. The Council of Representatives has primary authority for setting association policy, while the board oversees administrative affairs, organizational strategy and budgeting. APA has historically organized much of the profession through specialty divisions; its divisions cover clinical, counseling, developmental, social, personality, experimental, educational, industrial-organizational, health, forensic and other areas of psychology. It is also affiliated with state, territorial and Canadian provincial psychological associations. The association's activities extend well beyond membership administration. Its Education Directorate supports psychology education and accreditation-related work; the Practice Directorate represents practicing psychologists and addresses issues affecting health-care consumers; the Public Interest Directorate promotes psychology's contribution to human welfare and equitable treatment; the Public and Member Communications Directorate communicates with members and the public; and the Science Directorate supports psychological research and scientists. APA also maintains advocacy-related entities, including American Psychological Association Services, Inc., which succeeded the APA Practice Organization as an advocacy structure. Publishing and information services are central to the APA brand. The association publishes American Psychologist, its flagship journal, along with more than 70 other journals and numerous scholarly and professional books. Its best-known publications include the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, the APA Dictionary of Psychology and reference works in psychology. The APA style system has become a widely used convention for scholarly writing and source citation, particularly in the social and behavioral sciences. APA also publishes educational material, reports, brochures, videos, software and children's books through its Magination Press imprint. APA's database portfolio includes PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, PsycBOOKS, PsycEXTRA, PsycCRITIQUES, PsycTESTS and PsycTHERAPY, with PsycNET serving as a search and access platform across selected resources. These services support literature discovery, research evaluation, education and professional practice. The organization also administers awards recognizing scientific, applied, educational, public-interest, international, independent-practice and public-sector contributions to psychology. As a public-facing professional body, APA issues policy statements and task-force reports on matters including human rights, mental-health care, detainee welfare, human trafficking, abortion, gender equality, intelligence testing and sexual-orientation change efforts. It has stated that homosexuality is not a mental disorder and has criticized conversion-therapy practices as lacking reliable evidence of effectiveness and carrying potential risks of harm. APA's influence therefore spans professional standards, research communication, education, clinical practice, workplace well-being and public policy. The association remains active, although its governance, representation, professional boundaries and policy positions have periodically generated internal debate and outside scrutiny.
History
The American Psychological Association was founded in July 1892 at Clark University, when approximately 30 psychologists created a national organization for the emerging discipline. G. Stanley Hall became its first president. The association grew steadily during its early decades; by 1916 it had more than 300 members. Its initial role was primarily that of a learned society, but the expansion of psychology into education, clinical work, industry, government and military settings gradually broadened the organization's responsibilities. World War II was a major institutional turning point. APA merged with several other psychological organizations during the wartime period, producing a restructured association with formal divisions representing different specialties and interests. Nineteen divisions were approved in 1944. Clinical psychology and personnel psychology, later associated with counseling psychology, were among the largest areas. The divisional model became a durable feature of APA governance and professional identity. Over subsequent decades, the number of divisions expanded to 54 active divisions, alongside affiliations with state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations. The growth of clinical psychology strongly influenced APA's identity and priorities. Some research-centered psychologists believed that the association gave insufficient weight to basic and experimental science. The Psychonomic Society separated from APA in 1959 with a primarily cognitive and experimental orientation. In 1988, another broad research-oriented organization, initially called the American Psychological Society and later renamed the Association for Psychological Science, was established outside APA. These developments did not end APA's scientific work, but they reflected continuing debates over the balance between research, clinical practice, professional regulation and public advocacy. APA's professional role expanded as psychology became more closely connected to health care, education, workplaces and public policy. The association developed directorates and committees addressing science, education, practice, public interest and communications. It also issued ethical guidance, model legislation and policy statements on issues affecting psychologists and the public. Its position on sexual orientation illustrates this public role: in 1975, APA adopted a statement recognizing that homosexuality should not be considered a mental disorder. Later task-force work on sexual-orientation change efforts concluded that available evidence did not establish effectiveness and that such interventions could create risks of harm. Publishing became one of APA's most influential activities. American Psychologist serves as the association's flagship journal, while a large journal portfolio covers most major areas of psychological science and practice. APA's books, reference works and databases support research and professional education. The Publication Manual and associated APA Style guidance became especially influential in universities, journals and research institutions, giving the association a durable role in how social and behavioral science is written, cited and disseminated. PsycINFO and related databases extended that role by organizing the psychological literature and making research discoverable. Governance has remained an ongoing subject of institutional development. APA's bylaws provide for an elected president, Board of Directors, Council of Representatives and committees intended to create checks and balances. Beginning in 2011, the Good Governance Project examined whether the association's structures and processes were suited to a changing professional and scientific environment. Recommendations considered in 2013 included significant changes to the relationship between representative membership governance and a more corporate administrative structure. The discussions demonstrated the continuing tension between democratic representation, operational efficiency and the autonomy of specialty constituencies. In the twenty-first century, APA has continued to combine professional representation, scientific communication, education, public-interest advocacy and commercial publishing. Its affiliated advocacy structure was reorganized in 2018 with the creation of American Psychological Association Services, Inc. The association also developed workplace well-being programming through the Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program, conducted with the APA Practice Organization and affiliated local associations. Today APA remains a major U.S. psychology institution with international influence through its journals, databases, standards, policy positions, awards and educational resources.
- 2019
Seventh edition of Publication Manual is released
[3]APA published the seventh edition of its principal style manual.
- 2018
American Psychological Association Services, Inc. is formed
[1]APA created a 501(c)(6) advocacy entity succeeding the APA Practice Organization structure.
- 2013
Governance recommendations are debated
[1]The Council of Representatives discussed and voted on recommendations intended to improve APA's organizational effectiveness.
- 2011
Good Governance Project begins
[1]APA initiated a review of its governance practices, structures and processes as part of its strategic planning.
- 1988
American Psychological Society is established
[1]A broad research-oriented organization was formed outside APA; it later became the Association for Psychological Science.
- 1977
Theodore H. Blau becomes president
[1]Theodore H. Blau became the first clinician in independent practice elected president of APA.
- 1975
APA recognizes homosexuality is not a mental disorder
[1]APA issued a supporting statement rejecting the classification of homosexuality as a mental disorder.
- 1959
Psychonomic Society forms outside APA
[1]A research-focused group separated from APA, reflecting debate over the place of cognitive and experimental psychology within the association.
- 1944
Divisional structure is formalized
[1]Following wartime mergers with other psychological organizations, 19 APA divisions were approved as part of a new organizational structure.
- 1916
Membership exceeds 300
[1]The association had grown from its original small founding group to more than 300 members.
Products and positioning
Professional and scientific association serving psychology through research support, education, publishing, professional practice, advocacy, public communication and policy guidance.
Journal
American Psychologist
APA's flagship peer-reviewed journal publishes broad-interest work addressing psychological science, professional practice, public policy and the relationship between psychology and society.
Publishing standard
APA Style and Publication Manual
The Publication Manual and related APA Style resources provide conventions for scholarly writing, citation, references, authorship, tables, figures, reporting and ethical publication, especially in the social and behavioral sciences.
Research database
PsycINFO
PsycINFO is a bibliographic database covering psychological literature, including journal articles, books, book chapters, technical reports and dissertations. It is one of APA's principal research-information services.
Search platform
PsycNET
PsycNET provides a search and access interface for APA databases and related psychological information resources.
Journal portfolio
APA journals
APA publishes a broad portfolio of peer-reviewed journals covering areas such as experimental, developmental, social, personality, health, occupational, family, clinical and educational psychology.
Books and educational publishing
APA books and reference works
APA publishes scholarly and professional books, including the APA Dictionary of Psychology, encyclopedic reference material, specialist titles, reports and educational works. Magination Press provides children's and youth-oriented psychology-related publishing.
Workplace program
Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program
A collaborative APA and APA Practice Organization initiative that provides resources and recognition for employers seeking to improve employee well-being, organizational performance, work-life balance, development, safety and employee involvement.
Marketing campaigns
- Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program
United States · Canada
APA and the APA Practice Organization developed a program combining workplace resources, communications and awards that recognize employers addressing employee involvement, work-life balance, growth and development, health and safety, and recognition.
Outcome. The program supported national and local workplace recognition and was implemented with participating state, provincial and territorial psychological associations.
Brand decisions
2019
Seventh-edition APA Style updateGeneration changeBackground
Changes in scholarly communication, digital publishing, accessibility and source types required an update to APA's established publication guidance.
Action taken
APA released the seventh edition of the Publication Manual in October 2019, revising citation, reference and manuscript-preparation guidance.
Aftermath
The revised manual became the current major edition of the APA Style system used widely in academic and professional settings.
2018
Creation of APA advocacy entityStrategyBackground
APA required an organizational structure capable of advocacy and representation for psychologists across practice areas.
Action taken
American Psychological Association Services, Inc. was formed as a 501(c)(6) entity, succeeding the APA Practice Organization and incorporating the Psychology Political Action Committee.
Aftermath
The new entity became an affiliated vehicle for federal-level advocacy and lobbying on issues affecting psychologists.
2013
Governance restructuring recommendationsStrategyBackground
APA's Good Governance Project examined whether its representative, membership-based governance system remained suitable for a more complex and rapidly changing organization.
Action taken
The project recommended changes intended to maximize organizational effectiveness, including consideration of a more corporate governance structure. The Council of Representatives discussed and voted on the recommendations in July and August 2013.
Aftermath
The initiative became a significant example of APA's continuing debate over democratic representation, operational efficiency and the role of divisions and affiliated bodies.
Recent events
- 2019
APA publishes seventh edition of Publication Manual[3]
Product generation
APA released the seventh edition of its major style and publication guide, updating rules for scholarly writing, citation, authorship, accessibility and source presentation.
- 2018
APA establishes American Psychological Association Services, Inc.[1]
Other
APA formed American Psychological Association Services, Inc. as an advocacy organization for psychologists, replacing the earlier APA Practice Organization structure and including a political action committee.
- 2013
APA Council considers Good Governance Project recommendations[1]
Other
The Council of Representatives discussed and voted on governance recommendations intended to improve organizational effectiveness and adapt APA's representative membership structure.
Sources3 sources
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