International Union of Psychological Science

The International Union of Psychological Science, commonly abbreviated IUPsyS, is an international umbrella organization for psychology as a scientific and applied discipline. Its membership is composed primarily of national psychology organizations, together with regional members and affiliate or liaison organizations. Through this structure, it provides a mechanism for cooperation among psychology communities that differ in language, institutional development, professional regulation, and research capacity. The organization grew out of the International Congress of Psychology, a series of international meetings that began in 1889. The committee responsible for organizing those congresses provided an early institutional basis for international coordination in the field. Following the expansion of international scientific organizations after the Second World War, participants at the 1948 International Congress of Psychology in Edinburgh agreed that psychology should have a permanent international society comparable to organizations representing other sciences. At the 1951 congress in Stockholm, the Union was formally established and statutes were adopted. IUPsyS defines its mission as developing, representing, and advancing psychology as both a basic and applied science at regional, national, and international levels. It pursues that mission through the sponsorship of the International Congress of Psychology, participation in regional conferences, training and capacity-building programs, publications, information services, standards development, policy work, and communication among member organizations. Its activities are organized through an Assembly of the Union, an executive structure, standing committees, and associated working groups. The Union represents a large international psychology community through national members, regional members, and affiliates. The reference material describes approximately 93 national members, seven regional members, and 19 affiliate or special liaison organizations, collectively representing around one million psychologists. These figures describe the reach of the member network rather than a direct employment relationship between IUPsyS and individual psychologists. A major part of IUPsyS's international role is capacity building. Its Biennial Advanced Research Training Seminar program provides researchers from low-income countries with opportunities to learn contemporary research methods and transfer that knowledge to colleagues in their home institutions. The Union also supports workshops linked to regional psychology conferences and topic-focused workshop series. These programs are intended to reduce disparities in research training and strengthen psychology's institutional base in regions where resources may be limited. IUPsyS also supports the circulation of psychological knowledge. The International Journal of Psychology serves as its official journal and publishes work across psychology's major domains, alongside material addressing issues of international interest. The Union's other information activities have included a bulletin, newsletter, brochures, books, and reference works. Its Psychology Resources Around the World portal provides information about psychology organizations and structures in approximately 190 countries. The organization has international scientific and policy connections through memberships or accreditation involving bodies such as the International Council for Science, the International Social Science Council, the World Health Organization, and United Nations-related mechanisms including ECOSOC and the Department of Public Information. IUPsyS is therefore positioned less as a commercial brand than as a representative, coordinating, publishing, and capacity-building institution for the global psychology community.

The institutional origins of the International Union of Psychological Science lie in the International Congress of Psychology, an international meeting series that began in 1889. A committee was formed to organize the congresses, creating an early framework for communication among psychologists from different countries. Although the congress itself was not initially a permanent worldwide association, its recurring meetings helped establish the idea that psychology required international coordination. The postwar expansion of international scientific cooperation created the conditions for a more formal organization. At the 1948 International Congress of Psychology in Edinburgh, delegates considered the creation of a permanent international society comparable to those already operating in other scientific fields. This discussion followed broader encouragement from the United Nations for the formation and development of international scientific societies. At the 1951 International Congress of Psychology in Stockholm, the International Union of Psychological Science was officially created and statutes were adopted. The Union subsequently developed as a federation of national psychology organizations rather than as a membership body centered on individual practitioners. This model enabled it to represent psychology through recognized national organizations while also incorporating regional and specialist relationships. IUPsyS's work has expanded beyond congress administration. Its continuing responsibilities include representing psychology internationally, encouraging the development of psychology as a basic and applied science, supporting communication between national organizations, and contributing to standards and policy discussions. The Union works through an Assembly of the Union, executive leadership, standing committees, and working groups. Its activities include congresses, regional meetings, publications, information services, capacity-building initiatives, and dissemination of psychological knowledge. A central development in the Union's modern role has been its emphasis on strengthening psychology in countries and regions with limited research infrastructure. The Biennial Advanced Research Training Seminar gives researchers from low-income countries opportunities to study current methodologies and share them with colleagues after returning home. Additional workshops are associated with regional conferences and specific subject areas. These programs complement the Union's representational role by investing in the long-term ability of psychology communities to conduct research, educate professionals, and participate in international debate. The Union has also built a publication and reference infrastructure. The International Journal of Psychology is its official journal and covers research and reviews across psychology, including an international platform addressing issues of broad professional interest. Other publications and information products have included newsletters, bulletins, brochures, books, and major reference works on psychology. Its Psychology Resources Around the World portal extends this role by collecting information about the organization of psychology in approximately 190 countries. IUPsyS maintains relationships with international scientific, social-science, health, and intergovernmental institutions. The reference material identifies links with the International Council for Science, the International Social Science Council, the World Health Organization, and United Nations mechanisms including ECOSOC and the Department of Public Information. These relationships support the Union's aim of making psychology visible and useful in international science and policy settings. By the 2020–2022 executive period documented in the reference material, IUPsyS represented a network described as approximately 93 national members, seven regional members, and 19 affiliate or special liaison organizations, collectively reaching around one million psychologists. Its present identity is therefore that of a global coordinating and representative institution: it convenes the field, supports professional and research capacity, publishes and distributes knowledge, and promotes psychology's scientific and applied contributions across national and regional boundaries.

• 2020

  Executive Committee period begins

  [1]International Union of Psychological Scienceen.wikipedia.org

  The documented 2020–2022 Executive Committee begins its term under President Germán Gutiérrez.

• 2012

  Asia-Pacific capacity-building workshop

  [1]International Union of Psychological Scienceen.wikipedia.org

  IUPsyS sponsors a capacity-building workshop in the Asia-Pacific region as part of its international training activities.

• 1951

  IUPsyS is formally established

  [1]International Union of Psychological Scienceen.wikipedia.org

  The Stockholm International Congress of Psychology formally establishes IUPsyS and accepts statutes for the Union.

• 1948

  Delegates propose a permanent international psychology society

  [1]International Union of Psychological Scienceen.wikipedia.org

  At the Edinburgh congress, participants agree to pursue a permanent international organization for psychology, following the postwar expansion of international scientific societies.

• 1889

  International Congress of Psychology begins

  [1]International Union of Psychological Scienceen.wikipedia.org

  The recurring International Congress of Psychology begins, providing the long-term institutional and intellectual foundation for later international coordination in psychology.

A noncommercial global coordinating and representative body for psychology, linking national and regional organizations while advancing research, professional capacity, international communication, and the public standing of psychology.

• International scientific congress · 1889

  International Congress of Psychology

  The International Congress of Psychology is the Union's principal recurring international convening. It brings together psychology researchers, educators, practitioners, and organizations for exchange across national and disciplinary boundaries. The congress also has institutional importance: the 1948 Edinburgh meeting helped initiate the process that led to IUPsyS, while the 1951 Stockholm meeting formally established the Union.

• Academic journal

  International Journal of Psychology

  The International Journal of Psychology is the official journal associated with IUPsyS. Published by Psychology Press, it covers research and reviews across the major areas of psychology and includes an international platform section intended to address issues of common interest to the worldwide psychology community.

• Information portal

  Psychology Resources Around the World

  Psychology Resources Around the World is an IUPsyS web resource presenting information about psychology's organizational structures and professional institutions in countries around the world. It is designed to help users locate national psychology organizations and related information, with coverage described as extending to approximately 190 countries.

• Research capacity-building program

  Advanced Research Training Seminar

  The Biennial Advanced Research Training Seminar provides researchers from low-income countries with training in current research methods. The program is intended to generate longer-term benefits by enabling participants to apply the methods in their own work and share them with psychology communities in their home countries.

• Professional development program

  Capacity-Building Workshops

  IUPsyS supports workshops connected with regional psychology conferences as well as topic-driven workshop series. These activities provide training and exchange opportunities for psychologists and researchers, particularly in settings where access to specialist instruction and international networks may be constrained.

• 2012Asia-Pacific Capacity-Building Workshop

  Asia-Pacific region

  IUPsyS sponsored a workshop aimed at strengthening psychology capacity in the Asia-Pacific region. It reflected the Union's broader approach of combining international representation with practical support for training and research development.

  Outcome. The reference material does not report quantified outcomes or later evaluation results.

  Source

• 1951

  Adoption of IUPsyS statutesOther

  Background

  The proposed international psychology society required a formal constitutional framework and an agreed membership and governance structure.

  Action taken

  At the Stockholm International Congress of Psychology, the Union was officially established and statutes were accepted.

  Aftermath

  IUPsyS became the permanent international umbrella organization for organized psychology, later operating through national, regional, and affiliate members.

  Source

• 1948

  Pursuit of a permanent international psychology organizationStrategy

  Background

  The recurring psychology congresses had created an international community, while the postwar scientific environment favored permanent international societies. Delegates at the Edinburgh congress considered how psychology could obtain a durable representative institution.

  Action taken

  Participants agreed to pursue the establishment of an international society for psychology, leading to the formal creation of IUPsyS in 1951.

  Aftermath

  The decision established the organizational direction that transformed congress-based cooperation into a permanent global union.

  Source

1. 1International Union of Psychological Scienceen.wikipedia.org
2. 2International Union of Psychological Science official websiteiupsys.net