Thursday 23 July 15:40 - 17:10

Hall: 12 - Polveriera

Chair and Discussant: Saner Raymond

Division: Division 9: Economic Psychology

Applied psychology was born from the conviction that scientific knowledge could serve societal development and human progress. A century ago, the International Association of Applied Psychology was founded in Geneva on precisely this vision: psychology as a bridge between rigorous inquiry and collective well-being. Yet over time, the field's scope has narrowed, too often confined to clinical settings and individualized interventions. This panel aims to reawaken psychology's broader legacy by highlighting its relevance to the most pressing global challenges of our time.
Drawing on cases ranging from health diplomacy, labour policy, and conflict mediation to pandemic preparedness, climate adaptation, and migration, panellists will demonstrate how psychological insights inform policy, organizational change, and multilateral negotiations. These interventions illustrate the potential of psychology not only to alleviate individual distress but also to strengthen institutions, support humanitarian response, and contribute to sustainable development.
By revisiting both historical roots and contemporary applications, this session aims to provoke fresh thinking about psychology's role as an applied social science. It will explore what it means to practice psychology responsibly and impactfully in times of turbulence, and how the discipline can reclaim its relevance by engaging with public policy, institutional reform, and global cooperation