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SPPA is a multidisciplinary organization of research and clinical scientists, practicing clinicians, psychologists, performing artists, students and others. The mission of SPPA is to advance research, education, treatment and professional practice related to the following:
  • Facilitate the direct application of psychological, neurological, educational and neuroscientific research findings to the performing arts
  • Integrate that research into practice (use of psychological and psychophysiological techniques into all aspects of the performing arts)
  • Disseminate the products of this research to the larger community of psychologists and performing artists so as to be useful in common, everyday practice.
What this means is that we stay focused on what is known in the scientific community as applied research. What is applied research, and what other types of research are there?  Applied Research is scientific research aimed at immediate application to the real world. On its face, it sounds like all research should be applied research. The reason it is not is that Basic Research often has to be done to support the real-world applications that come later. Yes, science does move in extremely small steps, always checking and re-checking itself. That is the essence of science.**

Basic research in neuroscience, psychology and education is often involved in hypothesis testing and testing other peoples' theories (remember that, in science, the word 'theory' is used differently). In contrast, applied research tends to try to solve everyday problems so as to reach the real world as soon as possible. Sometimes, in some studies, there is no difference between the two types of research, but often there is, even if it is only in the funding, or how the research is viewed by other professionals.

Think for a moment about the relevance of applied research. Many scientists prefer basic research because of new discoveries. However, for those actually participating in the arts, who are continually learning and for whom so little has been done on their behalf in psychology, at this time fresh ideas and protocols that have a low failure rate are needed. What is currently missing are adequate protocols, without the participant needing to spend thousands of dollars and being asked to become a 'convert' to learn it. The greatest strength of science is that it shares information freely and it stands up to change. As a matter of fact, science evolves, as humans do. We, as musicians, dancers and actors, want to know how the different disciplines within Psychology can help us; how Clinical, Sport, Industrial and Organizational, Individual Differences, Social and other disciplines can inform us about how we can better practice our art and our craft.

In the future, people in the performing arts may end up looking at how they train students and future teachers. Some in the performing arts may want to establish departments in Universities dedicated to psychological research in the performing arts. We know that there are individuals conducting groundbreaking research "out there," and we want this society to provide the best place anywhere for a forum about dissemination about how to specialize in prevention and treatment of performing arts-related problems.

Founded in 2005 and organized as a 501c3 not-for-profit corporation, the Society for Psychology in the Performing Arts headquarters is located at 7567 Amador Valley Blvd., Suite 210, Dublin, CA.  For detailed membership information, visit or membership section or phone SPPA headquarters at 877-761-8230.

**Junk science is all around. Junk science purports to be "scientific" but does not employ the true scientific method. There are other ways to differentiate junk science from the real thing (see the article).
 
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