Upcoming Convention Highlights

We are planning a great program for you in 2011.  As always, there will be invited SWPA speakers, an APA sponsored lecture, plus invited symposia organized by our state representatives in the second year of their 2-year term.  Additionally, several of our adjunct organizations will have invited speakers (SAMR, Psi Chi, SCPA, SWToP), and there will be the traditional President's talk on Friday afternoon.  Of course, the program will be also filled with a variety of talks and posters by our members.  Finally, we will have  Continuing Education Sessions available at the convention again this year.

Volunteer opportunities will be posted in January. (Have your registration reimbursed if you work a shift!)  Stay tuned and mark your calendar for SWPA 2011!

Convention Theme: Psychologists’ Responsibilities

As a science and a profession, psychology owes responsibilities to multiple constituents. At the most basic level, psychologists owe to their profession responsibility to discover the operations of the mind and the relationships  that translate mind into behavior. The knowledge and skills psychologists develop further generate responsibilities to those whom we serve— most frequently our students, our clients, and the broader society

Dr. Andrew Meltzoff Theme: Responsibility to the Profession Co- Director, Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences and Professor at University of Washington will describe his work on imitation in children as it reveals the nature and operation of the mind. Dr. Meltzoff’s 1977 Science article on imitation of facial expression in infants launched his distinguished research career. He will describe what we can learn about the mind from exploring the social interactions so compelling to human infants and how those reveal inherent brain systems for perception and action.

SWPA Forensic Lecture Series:  Dr. Gary Wells Theme: Responsibility to Society Distinguished Professor at Iowa State University will describe his work to remove biasing in police lineups. Dr. Wells has published studies of eyewitness identification processes since 1978. His research has generated changes in police lineup procedures around the country. Dr. Wells will address “Eyewitness Identification and Psychology’s Responsibility to Help Distinguish the Innocent from the Guilty.”

Dr. Janie Wilson Theme: Responsibility to Students Professor at Georgia Southern University and Program Director for APA’s Division 2 has received several awards for teaching excellence, and gives great presentations. She will describe lessons from her experience and research related to effective teaching. Dr. Wilson has pursued an understanding of best practices in teaching for more than a dozen years. Her research focus related to teaching addresses the importance of building rapport with students. Dr. Wilson will address “Responsible Teaching: Enhancing Student Outcomes Without Being a Helicopter Teacher.”