Div. 7 is proud to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of developmental psychology through their careers. Seasoned professionals, mid-career, and early career psychologists may have their work recognized by the division, which also acknowledges the importance and accomplishments of mentors and scholarship. To support the research of graduate students and early career psychologists, Div. 7 also offers two grants, which help to advance significant content knowledge, methodology and/or theory in developmental psychology.
Distinguished career awards
Award for Distinguished Contributions to Developmental Psychology
This award recognizes distinguished contributions to developmental psychology, including contributions in research, student training and other scholarly endeavors. The Div. 7 Executive Committee has issued a statement on the name change for this award (PDF, 201KB).
2023 Award Winner: Laurence Steinberg
This award recognizes an individual who over a lifetime career has contributed to the science of developmental psychology and who has also worked to apply developmental psychology to society.
2023 Award Winner: Richard Fabes
Mid-career awards
Mary Ainsworth Award for Excellence in Developmental Science
This award recognizes mid-career developmentalists who have made outstanding contributions to developmental science.
2023 Award Winner: Glenn Roisman
Mavis Hetherington Award for Excellence in Applied Developmental Science
This award recognizes mid-career developmentalists who have made outstanding contributions to applied developmental science and helped promote the well-being of children, families, and groups or organizations.
2023 Award Winner: Sandra Simpkins
Early career awards
Early Career Outstanding Paper Award
The Early Career Outstanding Paper Award recognizes a graduate student or early career scientist, within seven years of PhD, who has published (or has in press) an outstanding paper in the previous year.
2022 Award Winner: Jorge Cuartas
This award recognizes young scientists who have made distinguished contributions to developmental psychology.
2023 Award Winners: Eddie Brummelman and Kathryn Leigh Humphreys
Dissertation Award in Developmental Psychology
This award recognizes an individual whose dissertation is deemed to be an outstanding contribution to developmental psychology.
2023 Award Winner: Wouter Wolf
Scholarship and mentorship awards
Eleanor Maccoby Book Award in Developmental Psychology
This award recognizes an author of a book in the field of psychology that has a profound effect on one or more of the areas, such as developmental psychology, represented by Div. 7.
2023 Award Winner: Jean E. Rhodes
Mentor Award in Developmental Psychology
This award recognizes individuals who have had a substantial impact on developmental psychology by their mentoring of young scholars.
2023 Award Winners: Patricia Bauer and Nora Newcombe
Grants
Dissertation Research Grant in Developmental Psychology
The Dissertation Research Grant supports the dissertation research of an outstanding graduate student member of APA and Div. 7.
2022 Award Winner: Andrea Felice Fields
Early Career Research Grant in Developmental Psychology
This grant supports the research of outstanding early career members who have not yet received any federal funding for research as a principal investigator or co-investigator.
2022 Award Winner: Denise Werchan