Annual Conference

The Symposium Proposal Portal is now open! Please review the guidelines and submit your proposal at https://forms.gle/WpzyFGYLHwFKyLaZ9.

The updated deadline for proposals is May 23, 2026!

The Program Committee includes Lara Aknin (Chair), Michael Bernstein, Allison Earl, and Eric Hehman (local host). Decisions regarding accepted proposals will be made by July at the latest.

In considering whether to attend and present at SESP 2026, keep in mind that SESP now offers a Caregiving Grant to assist members who are caregivers attending the SESP annual conference. The grant provides financial support to offset the costs of caregiving needs both at the conference and at home, as you prepare for conference attendance and while you attend, and can be used for expenses such as daycare, sitters, or other respite care. You can apply for the grant when you register for the conference.

SYMPOSIA PROPOSALS

As always, members and non-members are invited to submit proposals for symposia. We invite submissions from all PhD-level social psychologists from all backgrounds and especially encourage submissions by individuals from underrepresented and historically excluded groups. When preparing proposals, we invite people to read our statement on equity, diversity, and inclusion (see https://www.sesp.org/index.asp)
 
We are particularly interested in symposia that examine new topics, offer novel approaches to longstanding issues, and link areas of research that are not typically connected. We encourage panels that include both established and younger members of SESP, as well as speakers from diverse backgrounds and different types of institutions.

Symposium Guidelines
 
1.. The chair and presenters can be SESP members or nonmembers with doctoral degrees. Graduate students cannot present talks or chair symposia (though they may be listed as co-authors). However, current graduate students who will have completed their doctoral degree by October 2026 may give talks and serve as symposia chairs. 

2. The first author is the person who speaks in the symposium. An individual can serve as a first author on only one presentation, but they can be a coauthor or non-presenter on other presentations in the conference. Symposia proposals that include speakers presenting in multiple symposia may be declined and we especially encourage submissions that feature panels with a broad representation of speakers in terms of institutional affiliation, career stage, collaborative networks, etc. It is the responsibility of the symposium chair to confirm that all suggested speakers are presenting in only one symposium.
 
3. Each symposium should allow ample for time for questions from the audience. A symposium typically consists of three or four presentations and may include a discussant. However, other relevant formats are welcome. Ideally, the last 15-20 minutes should be spent on questions and answers, or exchanges between speakers. The total time of sessions is typically 70 minutes (in other words, a symposium session with 4 speakers should be aiming for 12-14 minute talks). Symposia chairs are asked to prioritize time for the final discussion period that is often a hallmark of the SESP annual meeting. No more than five speakers are allowed.
 
4. All symposia chairs and presenters are expected to register and pay associated fees for the conference. The symposium organizer should ensure that all presenters are aware of this.
 
5. SESP values open dialogue and debate, often involving unresolved and controversial scientific issues. While encouraging rigorous exchange, we also oppose discourse that intentionally or unintentionally perpetuates bias and contributes to an unwelcoming environment for all scholars. In reviewing your submissions, please ensure that your proposal is consistent with SESP’s values regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

6. Symposia submissions are evaluated by the SESP Program committee and rated independently by at least two reviewers. In cases of conflict of interest between symposia chairs and a member of the Program committee, an additional independent reviewer from SESP’s Executive Committee or the SESP Executive Officer may be appointed. Submissions are evaluated in terms of scientific rigor, contribution to experimental social psychology, fit within the overall program, and estimated potential to stimulate meaningful discussion and connections across areas of social psychology.

7. SESP offers a Caregiving Grant to assist members who are caregivers attending the SESP annual conference. The grant provides financial support to offset the costs of caregiving needs both at the conference and at home, as you prepare for conference attendance and while you attend the conference, and can be used for expenses such as daycare, sitters, or other respite care. You can apply for the grant when you register for the conference.

Evaluation

Each submission will initially be independently rated by at least two conference committee members. Afterwards, all submissions will be considered by the whole panel. Submissions will be evaluated on: topic relevance, strength of evidence, connection between talks/elements, and speaker diversity (e.g., variety of institutions, fields, perspectives, geographic location, demographics). More detail can be found here.

The Registration portal for SESP 2026 in Montreal will open in June.