APS Member Groups

History of the Interest Group

The APS has been involved in indigenous issues since the 1960s, when a Queensland Group became active with submissions to government on secondary education, child welfare and Aboriginal welfare.  The original Group for Aboriginal Issues, Aboriginal People and Psychology was established primarily as a way of assisting the small number of indigenous members to the Society to network and to promote discussion of social issues with non-indigenous members. The APS interest group re-formed in 1992.  

A variety of perspectives on the history of psychology and indigenous people in Australia can be found in 'The Australian Psychologist' Vol. 35, No. 2 (2000) - Special Issue: Australian Indigenous Psychologies (view abstracts). In particular, the following two articles will be of interest: 'The Australian Psychological Society and Australia's Indigenous People: A Decade of Action' by Heather Gridley, Graham Davidson, Patricia Dudgeon, Harry Pickett and Ann Sanson, and 'Australian Psychology and Australia's Indigenous People: Existing and Emerging Narratives' by Graham Davidson, Ann Sanson and Heather Gridley.

Terms of Reference

The Terms of Reference of the Interest Group are:

• promoting the psychological study and advocacy of issues related to Aboriginal people
  
  
• improving relationships between psychologists and the indigenous Australian community
  
  
• providing advice to psychologists working with Aboriginal communities
  
  
• the development of ethical guidelines for the provision of services; and
  
  
• conducting research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.