Psychological Science for Justice

As APA president, Kovera will work to ensure that we not only redouble our efforts to have the voice of psychology heard as society grapples with challenges, but also find new avenues for psychologists to make a difference.

Few would disagree that events over the last several years have been difficult. Political polarization, racial injustice and unrest, a reduction in women’s rights, attacks on the LGBTQIA+ community, the climate crisis, a loneliness epidemic, and a global pandemic have all taxed our collective well-being.

As society grapples with these challenges, psychologists must ensure that the knowledge we have accumulated through our science and practice is centered in the attempts to address these critical issues. How do we achieve this goal?

We must harness our psychological science and practice to:

  • Identify and dismantle the structures that produce racial and mental health disparities in the criminal legal system

  • Inoculate people against disinformation, which is prevalent and unchecked

  • Advocate for science-based policies and undo the psychological harm that comes from restricting access to appropriate reproductive and gender-affirming health care

  • Persuade the public to adopt public health and environmental conservation measures that science tells us will save lives

  • Explore new ways, in this virtual age, of encouraging people to interact with others in person at work, school, and play.

We have a moral imperative to give psychology away. As a professional society, we are already contributing to these discussions. But we can do more, which is why I have been proud to serve on APA’s Council of Representatives and partner with APA to reinvigorate the amicus curiae program, working with an expert panel to identify legal cases with psychological issues at their core and helping knowledgeable psychologists submit briefs that translate our science for the courts. As president, I would work to ensure that we not only redouble our efforts to have the voice of psychology heard as society grapples with these challenges but also find new avenues for psychologists to make a difference.