DIV7 Newsletter Fall/Winter 2004 DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGIST
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APA DIV7 Newsletter Fall/Winter 2004 DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGIST Fall/Winter 2004 DIV7 APA Table of Contents REFLECTIONS ON MY FIRST DAY AS THE PRESIDENT OF DIVISION 7 – Ann Masten...……… 1 MESSAGE FROM THE OUTGOING PRESIDENT –Nathan Fox………………………………… . 2 DIVISION 7 ANNOUNCEMENTS Division 7 Awards Recipients for 2004…………………………………………......3 Thanks for Jobs Well Done! ………………………………………………………...8 Welcome to Division 7 New Officers and Fellows………………………………….8 DOTDEP Pre-Conference Event at SRCD 2005………………………………….....8 Call for Division 7 Nominations………………………………………………….....9 Check out the Division 7 webpage…………………………………………………11 ROBERT SIEGLER RECEIVES THE APA DISTINGUISHED SCIENTIFIC CONTRIBUTION AWARD – A commentary by David Klahr………………………………....12 COLUMNS FROM THE APA SCIENCE DIRECTORATE Developing Psychological Science for the 21st Century- Steven Breckler…………13 Please Lend Us Your Voice – Merry Bullock……………………………………..15 OBITUARY: ESTHER THELEN…………………………………………………………….. ...17 OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS..................................................................................................... 18 UPCOMING MEETINGS SYMPOSIA AND WORKSHOPS............................................................. 22 DIVISION 7 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ..................................................................................... 22 REFLECTIONS ON MY FIRST DAY AS the other side is a second plate noting that the PRESIDENT OF DIVISION 7 gavel was carved from the frame of an oil Ann Masten painting in the home of G. Stanley Hall. As I write this note on January 1, 2005, my first As I pick up this gavel, literally and figuratively, day as President, I am contemplating what the first thoughts I have are about continuity and Division 7 means to me and to American history. Division 7 is one of the oldest divisions Psychology. Past-President Nathan Fox has of this organization, and, like the gavel itself, has passed the official gavel to me, which is sitting th roots in the 19 and early twentieth century. The here on my desk. On one side is a brass plate legacy of G. Stanley Hall is passed down not only announcing that the gavel was first used in in the physical form of the gavel but also in the Washington, DC, in September of 1969, the award named for him and bestowed annually by month I began college (with no thought of what I the division to honor distinguished lifetime would pursue as a major, much less a career). On contributions to developmental psychology. A list 1 APA DIV7 Newsletter Fall/Winter 2004 of past recipients of the G. Stanley Hall award can representatives have played an active role in be found on the Division 7 website, and looking it shaping discussion and action pertaining to the over, one is struck by the scope and importance of ethics of research with children and IRB their scholarly achievements, both for science and procedures over the past few years. An example society. This year when APA meets in of such work, the Division 7 IRB issues report, Washington, D.C. (August 18 to 21), two appears on our website and was discussed in the exceptional scholars will receive this award: Winter 2002/2003 Division 7 newsletter. The Dante Cicchetti and Judy Dunn. Last year’s Division also has played a significant role in winner, Sir Michael Rutter, will be honored again, connecting developmental experts with policy as he was chosen this year to receive the Urie makers and boosting the representation of Bronfenbrenner award for his lifetime developmental scientists on NIH study sections contributions in the service of science and society. and other important Federal task forces and Articles about these and other award recipients panels. can be found in this newsletter, along with the call Over the next two years that I serve as President, I for nominations for all of next year’s division will strive—along with a wonderful team of awards. colleagues leading the division—to build and My second thoughts today as I contemplate this strengthen the division in its role as champion of division echo the words of two influential developmental knowledge, in APA, in science, scholars in my career, Alan Sroufe and Michael and in applications for the public good. We will Rutter, in their writings and talks about work to promote and share the best of what developmental psychopathology. In defining the developmental psychology has to offer in these essence of this approach, they often say endeavors. I hope to involve more members in something like this: “first and foremost, it’s about APA activities and in the activities of the division development.” That theme jumps to my mind itself, in particular to engage more students, early when I think about Division 7 and its role, not career scientists, and also to re-engage more of only in APA and American Psychology, but also our distinguished senior colleagues (details in more broadly, in the implementation of our stated newsletters to come). I will have the guidance not mission to “(a) promote research…(b) foster the only of the executive committee but also of many development of researchers…(c) facilitate past presidents who have held this gavel. I am exchange…and (d) promote high standards of curious about what happened to the rest of the applications of scientific knowledge to public picture frame from G. Stanley’s home ~ so if you policy issues.” There are a number of divisions know about that or have any advice for me, please that focus on basic science or policies concerned email me at [email protected]. with children or diverse topics of great interest to the scholars in our division; yet, this division is the one that stays tuned to developmental issues MESSAGE FROM and the integrative role of development for THE OUTGOING PRESIDENT organizing how we think about multiple levels of Nathan Fox analysis and the processes that link those levels, how we conduct our science, or how we design Over the past two years it has been my honor to interventions or policies to improve the lives of serve as President of Division 7 of APA. This people. position has provided me, most of all, with the opportunity to work closely with many of my Past presidents and newsletters have highlighted developmental psychology colleagues on matters the vital role that Division 7 plays in APA and in of importance to the membership. The biggest American science, as the voice of the best successes over this period have come in two areas developmentally informed science and related to Division organization. First, with the application. For example, Division 7 help of our treasurer David Uttal we have 2 APA DIV7 Newsletter Fall/Winter 2004 structured the division’s finances so that we are tireless advocate for the division and for APA, able to invest part of our savings. This investment and whose work and accomplishments were should reap a number of benefits to the transforming for the division. Ann Masten, who membership including, hopefully, our ability to already has a track record of advocacy for young keep dues increases to a minimum and our ability children, follows me as President. I know she will to finance award recipients’ and graduate student work hard to connect Division 7 to other APA members’ travel to the APA annual meeting. The divisions that have interests in the welfare and second success has been establishing development of young children. I wish her and the documentation for the award committees. We new President-Elect, Larry Steinberg, the best in have always had a dedicated group of individuals the coming years. who have served on the award committees and have worked hard to choose the most deserving awardees. However, the process by which these DIVISION 7 ANNOUNCEMENTS committees were constituted and the procedures for award selection were handed down via the oral rather than the written tradition. With the help of DIVISION 7 AWARD RECIPIENTS the award committee chairs over the past years we FOR 2004 have documented the process and the procedures so that future committees will have an easy time The Division 7 Awards for 2004 that will be establishing themselves. presented at the 2005 meeting of APA in Washington, D. C. have been announced. The The biggest challenge to our incoming leadership, recipients are: I believe, is increasing interest and participation by members of the developmental psychology G. Stanley Hall Award for Distinguished community in APA and in Division 7. All of us Contributions to Developmental Psychology are busy and members of other professional The G. Stanley Hall Award will be presented to societies where we present our research. Dante Cicchetti and Judy Dunn. Generally, we do not view the APA conventions Dante Cicchetti, Shirley Cox Kearns Professor of as the outlet for our science. It is important, Psychology, Psychiatry, and Pediatrics, however, to communicate the important functions University of Rochester, was awarded the G. that APA as an organization has, with regard to Stanley Hall Award in recognition of his advocacy for science and for the funding of extraordinary contributions in developmental science with those who hold the purse strings. psychology and children’s mental health, as he APA’s Science Directorate is directly involved in forged the integrative science of developmental advocacy for children and for legislation that psychopathology. Through prodigious impacts the welfare and development of children. productivity and indefatigable leadership, As well, this directorate utilizes members of Cicchetti has profoundly influenced theory, Division 7 for expert testimony and for best research, training and practice in multiple research evidence to make the case for the disciplines concerned with the behavior and the importance of child development both in the well-being of children. funding of programs and in the funding of agencies that support research on children. It is Cicchetti was born and raised in Pittsburgh, a important to get more of us (developmental culturally and economically diverse city, where he psychologists) involved in this advocacy work. was deeply impressed by the often harsh reality of daily life for many children living with poverty, There is nothing like the contrast effect to neglect or mistreatment.