Write up about the Conference
The 28th International Congress of Applied Psychology was held in Palais des Congres, Paris, France on July 8-13 2014. The event was organized by the International Association of Applied Psychology. With the theme, From Crisis to Sustainable Well-being the world congress endeavored to impart new scientific developments and to explore psychology’s challenges and valuable contributions to society both as a science and as a profession. It was attended by around 4,000 psychologists from across the globe.
The congress opened with welcome messages from the Congress President, Prof. Christine Roland-Levy, International Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP) past president, Prof. Ray Fowler, as well as IAAP present president, Prof. Jose-Maria Peiro. An opening lecture about sustainability was given by Tim Jackson from the United Kingdom. A welcome reception followed the opening ceremony.
The IAAP was divided into 18 divisions: Organizational Psychology, Psychological Assessment and Evaluation, Psychology and Societal Development, Environmental Psychology, Educational and School Psychology, Clinical and Community Psychology, Applied Geropsychology, Health Psychology, Economic Psychology and Psychology and Law, Political Psychology, Sport Psychology, Traffic and Transportation Psychology, Applied Cognitive Psychology, Student Division, Counselling Psychology, Professional Practice, and History of Applied Psychology. Except for the Student Division, all divisions have divisional keynote lectures, symposia, thematic sessions, brief oral presentations, e-poster sessions, and business meeting spread throughout the 6-day activity. There were also pre-congress workshops in English and in French as well as transversal keynote sessions.
The participants could also opt to take part of the scientific and technical visits for a fee. These were visit of La Sorbonne, including Binet’s laboratory, visit of the virtual reality room of laboratory memory and cognition at the Institute of Psychology of the University of Paris Descartes, visit of the Sainte Anne Museum, visit of the Museum of the History of Medicine, and visit of the important places for French Psychology, amongst others.
The congress ended through a concluding session with a closing lecture about building a climate of cooperation between taxpayers and authorities given by Erich Kirchler from Austria as well as closing speeches from Jose Maria Peiro and Janel Gauthier of Canada. The 6-day activity was brought to an end with a reception which was hosted by the ICAP’s next organizer, Canadian Psychological Association, as the next congress is to be held in Montereal Canada.
Feedback on paper presented
There were those who came to me after my presentation and said that it was good presentation and a good study as well. The highlight of all the feedbacks, however, was this: one of the question asked during my presentation was if I had any plans of submitting my paper for possible publication in a political psychology or peace psychology journal as, according to the person, there are not many research papers similar to my study that are being published. It turned out the one who asked was associate editor of a peace psychology journal. And an editor of a political psychology journal, who was also present, said that I might also be interested to submit my paper in his journal. Their comments were truly inspiring.
Future directions of research presented
Motivated feedback, I am now seriously considering proficiently writing the whole manuscript and submitting it for possible publication in a research journal. I am also thinking of adding another angle (study 2) that would look into the conversation of the key players of the Philippine pork barrel scam as found in the media. Further, with the advent of the issue on Disbursement Acceleration Program, it might also be interesting to investigate if the social understanding of the young Filipinos about the pork barrel scam has changed across time and across events.
Potential foreign collaborators
Attending the business meeting on Political Psychology Division, I met several other psychologists who are also doing studies on political psychology and peace psychology. My meeting and interacting with these people made me to get to know potential postdoctoral supervisors as well as opened avenues for possible research collaborations in the future. There is, however, nothing define yet as of this writing.
Other important contacts and insights
Attending the conference and presenting my paper was an opportunity for me to share my scholarly work to the international research community, to exchange ideas with fellow psychologist, and to gain some insights from them as well. To continue making a contribution to the body of knowledge and expertise, I understand that one has to work real hard and remember that among scientists, excellence is a lifestyle.
Short write-up of one’s participation (to be used to feature/publicize the grantee’s participation in the conference)
Marshaley J. Baquiano, a recent addition to the roster of University of the Philippines Visayas’ College of Arts and Sciences faculty presented her research study, Social Representations of Philippine Pork Barrel Scam, in the recent 28th International Congress of Applied Psychology (ICAP) which was held on July 8-13, 2014 at the Palais des Congres, Paris, France.
The International Congress of Applied Psychology or ICAP is a forum organized every four years by the International Associatin of Applied Psychology (IAAP), ICAP circulates knowledge and technology developments in applied psychology and upholds cooperation among psychologists around the globe. With the theme, From Crisis to Sustainable Well-being, this year’s world congress aimed at sharing new scientific developments and analyzing the challenges and effective contributions that psychology as a science and as a profession offers to society. The recent ICAP united about 4,000 psychologists from all over the globe.
Baquiano’s research paper was one of those chosen to be part of the Political Psychology Division’s thematic session on Social Representations of Politics. Her study centered on the social understanding of young Filipinos about the recent highly publicized scam on Philippine legislators’ pork barrel.
Her travel was supported by the University of the Philippines System Research Dissemination Grant.
