Society of Multivariate Experimental Psychology

The Society of Multivariate Experimental Psychology (SMEP) is a small academic organization of research psychologists who have interests in multivariate statistical models for advancing psychological knowledge. It publishes a journal, Multivariate Behavioral Research.

History

SMEP was founded in 1960 by Raymond Cattell and others as an organization of scientific researchers interested in applying complex multivariate quantitative methods to substantive problems in psychology. The two main functions of the society are to hold an annual meeting of scientific or quantitative psychology specialists and to publish a journal, Multivariate Behavioral Research. The first meeting of the Society was held in Chicago in the fall of 1961. Beginning in 1993, the meeting has been held annually.

Membership

The new members of SMEP are elected by existing members, and membership is considered to be honorific. To promote interaction among participants in the annual meeting, the membership is limited to 65 active members under the age of 65, as well as to emeritus members (active members aged 65 and older who attend the annual meeting regularly). The Bylaws of SMEP stipulate that there should be twice the number of nominees for membership as available slots.

Presidents

The president of SMEP is elected by the membership and the list of former presidents is below.

2023: Sy-Miin Chow
2022: Lesa Hoffman
2021: Niels Waller
2020: David P. MacKinnon
2019: Peter Molenaar
2018: Debbi Bandalos
2017: David Kaplan
2016: Ken Bollen
2015: Alan Nicewander
2014: William Shadish
2013: Steven M. Boker
2012: Scott M. Hofer
2011: Scott E. Maxwell
2010: Lisa L. Harlow
2009: Patrick E. Shrout
2008: Wayne F. Velicer
2007: Stephen G. West
2006: Leona S. Aiken
2005: James H. Steiger
2004: Joseph Lee Rodgers
2003: David Rindskopf
2002: Roderick McDonald
2001: Roger Millsap
2000: Robert C. MacCallum
1999: John R. Nesselroade
1998: Michael W. Browne
1997: Susan Embretson
1996: Keith F. Widaman
1995: Linda M. Collins
1994: Robert Cudeck
1993: Patricia R. Cohen
1992: John J. McArdle
1991: Stanley A. Mulaik
1990: Herbert W. Eber
1989: John C. Loehlin
1988: William M. Meredith
1987: Andrew L. Comrey
1986: A. Ralph Hakstian
1985: Henry F. Kaiser
1984: William Revelle
1983: Norman Cliff
1982: J. Douglas Carroll
1981: Jack Block
1980: Jerry Wiggins
1979: Peter M. Bentler
1978: John M. Digman
1977: Goldine C. Gleser
1976: John L. Horn
1975: Douglas N. Jackson
1974: Lewis R. Goldberg
1973: Harry H. Harman
1972: Desmond S. Cartwright
1971: Warren T. Norman
1970: Maurice Lorr
1969: Jacob Cohen
1968: Donald W. Fiske
1967: Robert C. Tryon, succeeded by Merrill Roff
1966: Chester W. Harris
1965: Benjamin Fruchter
1964: John W. French
1963: Charles F. Wrigley
1962: Saul B. Sells
1961: Raymond B. Cattell
1960: Raymond B. Cattell

Annual meeting

The annual meeting spans two and one half days and consists exclusively of presentations by members in a single session. The program is arranged to allow ample discussion of each presentation. Since 2003, a half-day graduate student pre-conference has been held in conjunction with the annual meeting. PhD students sponsored by SMEP members present their research to those attending the annual meeting. The meeting also elects a new president.

In addition, the Society grants multiple annual awards. The Sells Award, named after Saul Sells, is given for distinguished multivariate research to an individual that has made a lifetime-level achievement in the field of multivariate psychology research. The Tanaka Award, named for Jeffrey Tanaka, is given for the best article in Multivariate Behavioral Research that year. The SMEP Early Career Research Award is given to a young researcher that the Society believes shows promise of high quality work throughout their coming future career. The final annual award is the Barbara Byrne Award, named for Barbara M. Byrne and granted for an outstanding book or edited volume within the field of multivariate analysis. The Society also has the Eber Award, which is not an annual award, but it is granted at the annual meeting after nomination and voting by the Trustees to reward outstanding service to the Society.

Journal

The SMEP journal, Multivariate Behavioral Research (MBR), publishes research articles on multivariate methodology and its use in psychological research. The 2021 Editor of MBR is Jeffrey Harring, and the journal is published by Taylor & Francis Group.

SMEP and Taylor & Francis also cooperate in the publication of a series of books on applications of multivariate quantitative methods to important substantive research issues. The book series is edited by Lisa Harlow.

The Society uses revenue from the journal to fund programs that promote learning of statistical methods in psychology and education, with a special emphasis on increasing the number of persons from under-represented groups in quantitative psychology.

References

^ "Multivariate Behavioral Research". Taylor & Francis. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
Cattell, Raymond B. (1990). "The birth of the Society of Multivariate Experimental Psychology". Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences. 26 (1): 48–57. doi:10.1002/1520-6696(199001)26:1<48::AID-JHBS2300260105>3.0.CO;2-R. PMID 2405051.
"About SMEP | SMEP". smep.org. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
"Past Presidents of SMEP | SMEP".
"Sells Award for Distinguished Multivariate Research | SMEP". smep.org. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
"Tanaka Award for Best Article in Multivariate Behavioral Research | SMEP". smep.org. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
"SMEP Early Career Research Award | SMEP". smep.org. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
"Barbara Byrne Award for Outstanding Book or Edited Volume | SMEP". smep.org. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
"Eber Distinguished Service Award | SMEP". smep.org. Retrieved 2022-10-25.

External links

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