Western Psychological Association

{{short description|American psychology learned society}} {{Infobox organization | name = Western Psychological Association | native_name =  | native_name_lang =  | named_after = | image = | image_size = | image_alt =  | caption = | map =  | map_size =  | map_alt = | map_caption = | map2 =  | map2_size = | map2_alt = | map2_caption = | abbreviation = | predecessor = | merged_into =  | successor = | formation = 1921 | founder =  | founding_location = | extinction =   | merger =  | type = Learned society | status =  501c3 | purpose = Psychological research | professional_title =  | headquarters = | location = California | coordinates =  | region_served = Western United States | services = | num_members = 1,917 | num_members_year = 1962 | language =   | secretary_general =  | leader_title = President | leader_name = Gregory Feist | leader_title2 = President-elect | leader_name2 = Patricia Flynn | leader_title3 = Past president | leader_name3 = Mark Costanzo | leader_title4 = | leader_name4 = | board_of_directors = | key_people = | main_organ =   | parent_organization =  | subsidiaries = | secessions = | affiliations = American Psychological Association | budget = | budget_year = | num_staff =  | num_staff_year =  | num_volunteers =  | num_volunteers_year =  | slogan =  | website = {{url|http://westernpsych.org}} | remarks = | former_name =  | footnotes = }} The '''Western Psychological Association''' (abbreviated '''WPA''') is an American learned society dedicated to the study of psychology and other behavioral sciences.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://westernpsych.org/about-wpa/ |title=About WPA |date=2013-09-04 |website=WPA Web Site |language=en-US |access-date=2017-09-02}}</ref> It is a regional association focused on the Western United States, and is affiliated with the American Psychological Association.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.apa.org/about/apa/organizations/regionals.aspx |title=Regional Psychological Associations |website=American Psychological Association |language=en |access-date=2017-09-02}}</ref> It promotes psychological research through an annual conference, which it has held since its founding, and where psychologists read their research papers to one another.<ref name=ap/> Reports from these conferences were originally published in ''Psychological Bulletin'' starting in 1924, and are now published in ''American Psychologist''.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3lIZAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA357 |title=Scientific and Technical Societies of the United States and Canada |date=1899 |publisher=National Academies |pages=357 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=cambridge/>

==History== The Western Psychological Association was established in 1921 with fourteen members,<ref name=ap>{{Cite web |url=http://psycnet.apa.org/record/1965-00035-001 |title=History of the Western Psychological Association |last=Lindsley |first=Donald B. |date=1964 |website=American Psychologist |language=en |access-date=2017-09-02}}</ref> and held its first meeting in August of that year. The meeting took place in Berkeley, California, and was held in conjunction with the Pacific division of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. At the meeting, members elected Lewis Terman and Edward Tolman as the Association's president and vice president, respectively.<ref name=cambridge>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uM8oDwAAQBAJ |title=Purpose and Cognition |last=Carroll |first=David W. |date=2017-04-27 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=9781107122505 |pages=73 |language=en}}</ref> The organization's membership increased to 1,917 members by 1962.<ref name=ap/>

===Former presidents=== *Frank A. Beach *Robert A. Bjork *Shepherd Ivory Franz *Howard H. Kendler *Tracy Kendler *Eleanor Maccoby *Jean Macfarlane *Donald W. MacKinnon *Christina Maslach *Robert Pellegrini<ref>{{cite web |title=Pellegrini, Robert J |url=https://www.sjsu.edu/people/robert.pellegrini/ |website=sjsu.edu |publisher=San Jose State University |access-date=19 February 2026}}</ref> *Leo Postman

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{Official website|http://westernpsych.org/}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Western Psychological Association}} Category:Psychology organizations based in the United States Category:Scientific organizations established in 1921 Category:Learned societies of the United States Category:1921 establishments in California Category:Organizations based in California Category:Psychological societies