Kent Berridge and Vonnie McLoyd received the 2023 Association for Psychological Science (APS) William James Fellow Award. This Award “honors APS members for their lifetime of significant intellectual contributions to the basic science of psychology.” APS shares that recipients of this award are “recognized internationally for their outstanding contributions to scientific psychology.”
Kent Berridge, APS writes, is a “neuroscientist and psychologist focused on improving understanding of the neural mechanisms of emotion, motivation, learning, and reward. His seminal research demonstrated that the neural circuitry mediating wanting (mesolimbic dopaminergic pathways) is different from the circuitry mediating liking (nondopaminergic pleasure hotspots). This distinction helped to redefine the field of affective science and advance interventions for conditions including gambling, drug addiction, and alcoholism.”
Vonnie McLoyd, APS continues, “examines social variables in detail to understand their contributions to the ways in which individuals grow and change. She pioneered attempts to describe the psychological processes through which economic deprivation influences Black families and children, and her work has guided the development of effective prevention and intervention programs for Black communities. McLoyd’s influential work continues in the classroom, public policy, societies and committees, and scientific journals.”
Read more at APS.
