New Zealand Psychological Society

History

The society began as a branch of the British Psychological Society in 1947, becoming an independent body in 1967. The society's first annual conference was held in 1968, when the society had approximately 150 members. Originally the society was dominated by academic psychologists, but by the 1960s and 1970s, practicing psychologists, primarily clinical psychologists, became a growing voice within the society. Between 1968 and 1978, the society grew to over 600 members.

In the 1970s, the society spoke out against unsafe driving practices, and submitted in support of changes to the Crimes Amendment Bill in 1974, the first parliamentary attempt at homosexual law reform in New Zealand. In 1978, Ann Ballin became the first woman president of the society.

The society was an integral lobbying force in passing the Psychologists Act 1981, which established psychology as a registered profession in New Zealand.

The society is a constituent organisation of Royal Society Te Apārangi.

Institutes and divisions

Within the society, a number of divisions exist to promote and foster specific fields of psychology. The Clinical Psychology Division was formed in the 1970s, followed by the Counselling Psychology Division in 1985 and the Community and Social Psychology Division was established in 1987. As of 2022, there are seven institutes and one special interest group:

• Institute of Clinical Psychology
• Institute of Community Psychology Aotearoa
• Institute of Counselling Psychology
• Institute of Criminal Justice and Forensic Psychology
• Institute of Educational and Developmental Psychology
• Institute of Health Psychology
• Institute of Organisational Psychology
• Special Interest Group (Coaching Psychology)