Welcome to the 2027 Advances in Cultural Psychology Pre-Conference!
The Advances in Cultural Psychology SPSP pre-conference has been a tradition since the 2005 SPSP convention in New Orleans. This year's co-organizers Cynthia S. Levine, Jinkyung Na and Emma E. Buchtel are excited to announce that the 23rd pre-conference will be held on the morning of February 11, 2027, preceding the SPSP Annual Convention at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA.
See below for our great lineup of featured speakers, schedule, and submission information for Awards, Posters, and Data-blitz presentations.
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2027 Theme
Advances in Cultural Psychology:
Is culture the solution or the problem?
Cultural adaptation is how we solve the challenges confronting humanity-- bringing humans community and computers. But culture also creates problems: maladaptive beliefs, prejudice, and ill health. This year's culture pre-conference explores how culture is both problem and solution. The "problem" session offers data on where maladaptive beliefs crop up and why. Why do some people believe the apocalypse is on the doorstep? Why do some cultures see virtue in ritually lighting oneself on fire? The "solution" session explores how making culture more visible can help solve problems. Talks will look at the interdependence of culture and improving people's physical health, reducing stigma for people who speak with an accent, and lessening the harms of poverty. Join us for the latest research on the problem and the solution of culture, with award talks and a lightning round of data blitz talks in between.
Save the date!
The culture pre-conference will be in the MORNING session of the regular SPSP in-person pre-conferences:
Date: Thursday, February 11th, 2027
Event Time: 8am-12pm
Posters, Talks, & Coffee schedule: Coffee and tea start at 7:30am! Posters & detailed schedule TBA.
Poster & Data Blitz Submissions: https://spsp.wufoo.com/forms/2027-preconference-submission-portal/ by October 8, 2026
Award Nomination Submissions: See below for instructions. Email to SPSPCulturalPsych@gmail.com by October 8, 2026
Featured Speakers
Mohammad Atari, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst
"Culture and Epistemic Gaps in Psychological Science"
Matthew Billet, UC Irvine
“Apocalyptic Beliefs and the Perception of Global Risks”
Shahrzad Goudarzi, NYU Abu Dhabi
"The co-construction of neoliberal regimes and cultural beliefs"
Elif G. Ikizer, University of Wisconsin, Green Bay
"Culture as Context and Cue: Non-Normative Identities and Accents"
Kengthsagn Louis, Boston College
"On the Interdependence of Health"
Thomas Morgan, School of Human Evolution & Social Change, Arizona State University
"Open-Endedness Makes Culture Both Powerful and Dangerous "
2026 Awardee for Outstanding Contributions to Cultural Psychology:
Joseph Henrich, Harvard University
"IQ is like golf: The cultural evolutionary origins of cognitive abilities."
2027 Awardees: TBA
Posters: TBA
Data Blitz speakers: TBA
Registration
Registration for the culture pre-conference will be open from October 15, 2026 to January 29, 2027 on the SPSP registration site. Please register early to ensure you have a seat. https://spsp.org/events/annual-convention/preconferences
Submit Your Research!
Apply now to share your research. We are accepting:
1. Posters
2. 5-minute data blitz talks
Graduate students, postdocs, and untenured professors are especially encouraged to apply. All presenters are expected to register and attend the pre-conference in person.
Submissions are open through Thursday, October 8, 2026, 11:59 pm Pacific Time.
Acceptances will be notified by Tuesday, November 10, 2026.
Submit posters or data blitzes here: https://spsp.org/events/annual-convention/preconferences
Award for Outstanding Contribution to Cultural Psychology
We are collecting nominations for the Award for Outstanding Contribution to Cultural Psychology. This award recognizes a scholar (or group of scholars) whose work has added substantially to the body of knowledge in cultural psychology and whose sustained contributions in research, teaching, and/or service have significantly advanced the field.
Nomination materials must include:
1. A recommendation letter detailing how the nominee’s (or nominees’) work fits the criteria
2. The nominee’s (or nominees’) current CV
Send materials in one email to SPSPCulturalPsych@gmail.com by October 8, 2026. Awardees will give an award talk at the pre-conference. Self-nominations are welcome.
2027 Pre-conference co-chairs
Cynthia Levine, University of Washington
Jinkyung Na, Sogang University
Emma E. Buchtel, Education University of Hong Kong