On behalf of the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, its Council expresses its distress to learn that the APA was complicit in facilitating psychologists’ participation in the practice of torturing detainees after the events of 9/11. That psychology’s own professional organization would so egregiously violate psychologists’ ethical principles and the commitment to social justice that is at the core of SPSSI’s values is appalling and unprecedented. We stand with other concerned psychologists  who are committed to reforming the American Psychological Association to ensure transparent and democratic process and to make it impossible that such events will ever occur in the future.

Other Resources

• SPSSI has made available its December 2007 issue of Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy (ASAP), free of charge.  The special section on psychologists and interrogation includes contributions from Mark Costanzo, Ellen Gerrity, and Brinton Lykes; Stephen Behnke and Gerald Koocher; Kirk Hubbard; Bernice Lott; Brad Olson and Stephen Soldz; and Peter Suedfeld.
   
• The special section also includes an analysis from Philp Zimbardo, winner of SPSSI's 2015 Lewin Award.  Dr. Zimbardo wrote an open letter to the PENS task force - his evaluation of the group is available here.
   
• Read SPSSI's 2007 Policy Statement on the Use of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhumane, or Degrading Treatment as Interrogration Devices here.