Social Issues Dissertation Award Selection

These awards are open to individuals who have recently completed social-issues-related doctoral dissertations in psychology or in another social science with psychological subject matter. The selection committee, which is appointed by the president, chooses a first prize ($750 award) and second prize ($500 award) winner from among the year’s applicants. A certificate accompanies the award check presented to both winners.

Eligible dissertations are those accepted between March 1 of the previous year and March 1 of the current year. However, an individual or group may make only one submission for a SPSSI paper award program from amongst the Allport, Klineberg, and Dissertation Awards per year.

Four or five finalists are typically selected after an initial, blind review of two page summaries of the dissertations, prepared by the applicants. Finalists’ are then asked to send their full dissertation with all identifying information removed for further review leading to selection of the first and second prize winners.

The Committee has three or more members, all of whom serve for three year terms.

Application details can be found here.