Who We Are
Based in Washington, DC, the American Psychological Association (APA) is a scientific and professional organization that represents psychology in the United States. With 150,000 members, APA is the largest association of psychologists worldwide.

APA Mission Statement
The mission of the APA is to advance the creation, communication and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve people’s lives.

APA Vision Statement
The American Psychological Association aspires to excel as a valuable, effective and influential organization advancing psychology as a science, serving as:

A uniting force for the discipline;

The major catalyst for the stimulation, growth and dissemination of psychological science and practice;

The primary resource for all psychologists;

The premier innovator in the education, development, and training of psychological scientists, practitioners and educators;

The leading advocate for psychological knowledge and practice informing policy makers and the public to improve public policy and daily living;

A principal leader and global partner promoting psychological knowledge and methods to facilitate the resolution of personal, societal and global challenges in diverse, multicultural and international contexts; and

An effective champion of the application of psychology to promote human rights, health, well being and dignity.

Organizational Purposes
APA Bylaws 1.1
The objects of the American Psychological Association shall be to advance psychology as a science and profession and as a means of promoting health, education, and human welfare by

• the encouragement of psychology in all its branches in the broadest and most liberal manner
• the promotion of research in psychology and the improvement of research methods and conditions
• the improvement of the qualifications and usefulness of psychologists through high standards of ethics, conduct, education, and achievement
• the establishment and maintenance of the highest standards of professional ethics and conduct of the members of the Association
• the increase and diffusion of psychological knowledge through meetings, professional contacts, reports, papers, discussions, and publications

thereby to advance scientific interests and inquiry, and the application of research findings to the promotion of health, education, and the public welfare.

Annual Report
2007 Annual Report 

Definition of "psychologist"
APA policy on the use of the title "psychologist" is contained in the General Guidelines for Providers of Psychological Services, which define the term "Professional Psychologist" as follows: "Psychologists have a doctoral degree in psychology from an organized, sequential program in a regionally accredited university or professional school." APA is not responsible for the specific title or wording of any particular position opening, but it is general pattern to refer to master's-level positions as counselors, specialists, clinicians, and so forth (rather than as "psychologists"). In addition, it is general practice to refer to APA accredited programs as "APA-accredited" rather than "APA approved." The position as described must be in conformity with the statute regulating the use of the title psychologist and the practice of psychology in the state in which the job is available.

Definition of "psychology"
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. The discipline embraces all aspects of the human experience — from the functions of the brain to the actions of nations, from child development to care for the aged. In every conceivable setting from scientific research centers to mental health care services, "the understanding of behavior" is the enterprise of psychologists.

APA's Professional Divisions
There are 54 professional divisions in the APA. Go to http://www.apa.org/about/division.html for a complete list. This site also contains a list of the divisions organized by topic area.

APA President
James H. Bray, PhD, is the 2009 president of the American Psychological Association.

Dr. Bray is an associate professor of family and community medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. A licensed clinical psychologist, he is also the director of the Family Counseling Clinic at Baylor.

Dr. Bray's research focuses primarily on stepfamilies, adolescent alcohol use and collaborations between psychologists and family physicians. He has published more than 125 books, articles, chapters, reviews and tests.

Before Baylor, Dr. Bray was on the faculty at Texas Woman's University in Houston.

To learn more, visit the APA president's homepage.

Contact Us
The contact information for APA's main building is below. For contact information for individual departments and programs, please visit http://www.apa.org/about/contact.html.