I'm applying for membership in the APA and have a long list of journals from which to choose. Are there any favorites? Any you've found especially useful in research? I want to pick two that I'd be most likely to read and use while pursuing my doctorate. I don't plan to seek licensure; I plan to teach. Thanks for any suggestions.
Hi, I never joined the APA because I believe it's too supportive of "junk science." I used to belong to the American Psychological Society . The APS was formed by a number of APA psychologists who believed the APA was not engaged in enough research before endorsing various "theories" as fact (repressed memory, e.g.). Anyway, I have two friends, husband and wife, who are state-licensed psychologists and APA members. I've read some of the journals they receive and I have read other APA journals in the various community mental health facilities in which I worked as a clinical therapist. I have always enjoyed reading the Journal of Abnormal Psychology and the Journal of Counseling Psychology the best. Enjoy your reading and membership.
Incidentally, is it possible to procure good psychological journals that keep you up to date on current research without being a member of any professional organization? Thanks, Dennis Siemens
It is (and any good university library at a school with graduate programs in counseling or psychology should have a decent selection), but members get low rates on the APA journals--and access to the APA's PsycInfo database ($89/year) can be extremely helpful when it comes to tracking down abstracts. I'm not a member of the APA because membership requires a doctorate (RA or non-U.S. equivalent), but I once had access to PsycInfo via GaleNet's InfoTrac service and will probably end up subscribing as a student affiliate (and student member of Division 36, which focuses on psychology of religion) with the idea in mind of proceeding to full membership once I've graduated. Cheers,
Some counseling/psychological organizations offer their journals/periodicals to the general public w/o membership reequirements. For really updated info I would recommend the Annals of the American Psychotherapy Association. Also, many psych/counseling organizations have some online journals/periodicals available.
Re: Re: Re: Psych Majors I forgot to mention that there is an associate membership category for which Jimmy and I would qualify; I suspect this is what he meant, while I was using "member" in a narrower sense of the word (to refer only to full voting membership). Incidentally, I can also recommend the Society for Personality and Social Psychology; they're a less exclusive/expensive little brother to the APA, and put out a wonderful journal of their own. Cheers,
Re: Re: Re: Re: Psych Majors Yes, many human behavior organizations offer various levels of membership.
Really, Tom, do you think I would have posted what I did without first verifying this information? The APA offers two categories of membership—Member and Associate. Moreover, as do many other professional organizations, the APA also offers several different kinds of affiliations (such as international and student) but these are not memberships. Here are the eligibility requirements to become a Member of the APA (see here). Eligibility To apply for the Member category, you must have a doctoral degree in psychology or a related field from a regionally accredited graduate or professional school or a school that achieved such accreditation within 5 years of the doctoral degree (or a school of similar standing outside of the United States). This degree must be based, in part, upon a psychological dissertation or other evidence of proficiency in psychological scholarship. Degrees from foreign institutions must show U.S. equivalency. APA may require additional information to evaluate qualifications for membership. Here are the eligibility requirements to become a Associate Member of the APA (see here). Eligibility To apply for the Associate members category, you must have a master's degree or have completed 2 years of graduate study in psychology or a related field at a regionally accredited institution. An applicant for Associate membership must submit an official institution transcript indicating all graduate work. Degrees from foreign institutions must show U.S. equivalency. APA may require additional information to evaluate qualifications for membership. This is true, and the APA appears to be one of them. However, contrary to what you have implied, Jimmy, you don’t qualify for any of the APA membership levels. But then again, you knew that. Plus ça change, plus c'est la freakin’ même chose.
One nitpick: If you look at the application form, you'll see that theology/religion is classified as a related field for membership purposes (code 850, I think). Cheers,
I’m sorry, Tom, but I just don’t see it. The application form for both Membership and Associate Membership can be found here. It allows you to type in the name of your degree (PhD, EdD, PsyD, MA, etc.), but both question number six and question number seven (CURRENT MAJOR FIELD and HIGHEST DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY, respectively) require that you select one of the following from a drop down list. 070 Clinical Psychology 521 Clinical Child Psychology 213 Cognitive Psychology 080 Community Psychology 211 Comparative Psychology 090 Counseling Psychology 040 Developmental Psychology 110 Educational Psychology 212 Environmental Psychology 020 Experimental Psychology 010 General Psychology/Method Systems 115 Geropsychology 216 Health Psychology 130 Industrial/Organizational Psychology 118 Neurosciences 050 Personality Psychology 030 Physiological Psychology/Psychobiology 365 Psychopharmacology 250 Quantitative/Mathematical Psychometrics/Statistics 100 School Psychology 060 Social Psychology It doesn’t seem like 850 is listed or that the APA makes allowances for related fields. Where did you see this?
Tom, While I wouldn't qualify today I believe back in 1998 there was a category offered I would have qualified for. I don't remember (I have an email in to the APA asking them about former membership categories and eligibilities.). I believe it had something to do with a degree from an acceptable/approved school and a state license in a mental health field, or something like that. Anyway, I went with the American Psychotherapy Association that had similar eligibility requirements and membership categories AT THAT TIME.
On code 850: See the student affiliate application, under "Major Field Code:" I notice that the full membership application you've cited has no such option, though it does have a write-in field for the major under "Highest Degree in Psychology." On related fields: "The Member category is intended for those who have received a doctoral degree in psychology or a related field from a regionally accredited institution..." (From the "Types of Membership" page.) Although the web site does not explicitly state that theology/religion is a related field for purposes of regular membership, it does have it listed as a related field for purposes of student affiliation--suggesting, to me, that theology or religious studies would be a perfectly acceptable write-in provided that the dissertation deals, as per guidelines, with psychology. Cheers,
There are, last I checked, upward of 50 APA divisions so its difficult to suggest a specific journal. I recommend you investigate the journals in whatever area of psychology you take your doctorate in. As an APA member you automatically receive the Monitor and the American Psychologist which both cover a wide spectrum of interests. I belong to the geropsychology and neuropsychology divisions so I receive those journals as part of the dues.
First, the membership application I linked to is for both Member and Associate status, the only two forms of membership the APA offers (see the title). Second, as I previously mentioned, the write-in field is for the name of the degree and it is labeled Degree Name (PhD, EdD, PsyD, MA, etc.). Both the CURRENT MAJOR FIELD and HIGHEST DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY fields require that the applicant make a selection from the list I provided. There simply isn't a field that allows an applicant to write in the name of a major or related field. Look again. As there is no way select anything that is not on the list, I am willing to wager that the related fields (as the APA defines them) are already on the list. More than likely, they are referring to such listed (and related) fields as Quantitative/Mathematical Psychometrics/Statistics and Neurosciences. As I previously explained, there isn't a provision for writing in the applicant’s major or related field; he or she must choose from the list. Also as previously discussed, there is a big difference between qualifying and becoming a Member or Associate Member of the APA and simply becoming an Affiliate, especially a Student Affiliate. A degree in a related field is not required to become a Student Affiliate. In fact, a degree isn’t even required. These are the requirements listed on the APA’s Student Affiliate Web page: How can you become an affiliate? If you're a graduate or undergraduate student taking courses in psychology, you are eligible to become an APA Student Affiliate. That’s’ it. There’s no need for a degree (whether in a related field or not). All that is required is that the student be taking courses in psychology. Neat, huh? Moreover, perhaps because it can’t be equated with membership, as it relates to the requirements for Student Affiliate, the APA’s definition of what constitutes a “related field” appears to be extremely broad. For example, the Student Affiliated Membership application you linked to also has a drop-down list for the Major Field Code (it too, does not allow the applicant to write in the field). Among the selections (under the heading Other Associated Major Fields), in addition to Theology/Religion, you will find such fields as Law, Public Administration, Computer Science, Business, etc.. In other words, the drop-drown list includes most fields in which a college student would major. As such, it is clear that the APA attributes no special relevance to Theology/Religion, even as it relates to applying for Student Affiliate status.
Look just under the drop-down box at "Major Field Name:." The assumption, I think, is that one would type the actual degree major in there and list the most relevant psychology discipline in the box, but obviously this is something that one should ask the APA about before sending in the membership fee. I'm still reasonably certain that I've seen someone holding a Ph.D. in religious studies (emphasis psychology of religion) and claiming full APA membership, but until I actually run across the CV again I won't expect you to take my word for it. In any case, folks who don't qualify for any of the APA categories can still take advantage of the PsycInfo database--they just don't get the 40% APA member discount. Cheers,
Tom, there is no need to assume anything. All the fileds are clearly labeled; the application just needs to follow instructions. Question number six on the application is CURRENT MAJOR FIELD. It contains one field that is a drop-down list (no writing allowed). As with all of the fields on the application, there is a label right beneath it. The label for this field reads, appropriately enough, Major Field Name. The applicant is to select a field major in which he or she is currently involved. Now, just under this drop-down field is question number seven, HIGHEST DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY. The first field does allow the applicant to write in the reply, but the field is labeled (once again, the labels are right below the box) Degree Name (PhD, EdD, PsyD, MA, etc.). I don’t understand how you get the impression that you are supposed to type in the actual degree major in that field. First, the field is labeled Degree Name. Second, the APA went so far as to provide examples of what should be put in that field (PhD, EdD, PsyD, MA, etc.). And third, the field immediately following this one (still part of question seven, HIGHEST DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY) is another drop down list labeled Degree Field Name listing all the eligible degree majors. The applicant is supposed to write in the highest degree attained in Psychology in the first field of question number seven, and then select the field major of that degree in the second field. Hey, sometimes my eyes play tricks on me. For example, I could’ve sworn I saw a statement of yours in this post to the effect that you stood corrected, but I guess I was wrong. Seriously, I do not doubt an individual with a Ph.D. in Psychology of Religion would have too much difficulty gaining Member status with the APA. It does not seem to be one of the usual and customarily recognized major fields, but that does not mean he or she would be ineligible. Like most professional organizations, I'm sure the APA makes allowances for those willing to jump through a sufficient number of hoops.
