Congratulations to our 2026 Professional Award Recipients
WPA Lifetime Achievement Award
HECTOR BETANCOURT
Hector Betancourt, Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Loma Linda University and founder of the Culture and Behavior Laboratory, has made major contributions at the intersection of psychology, culture, and cognitive-emotional processes in health and social issues. His work has had both scientific and applied impact. The Betancourt Integrative Model of Culture, Psychology, and Behavior is an important framework for understanding how cultural factors influence psychological processes that determine behaviors relevant to health and social issues across diverse populations. It has been applied to several areas of research, including helping behavior, cancer screening, and seeking psychological services. His 1993 paper with Steven Lopez, “The Study of Culture, Ethnicity, and Race in American Psychology,” has been cited more than 2,500 times. In addition, Dr. Betancourt developed training and doctoral programs in Chile and the United States. He has an extensive history of professional service both nationally and internationally. Dr. Betancourt is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA), and in 2024, he was honored with APA’s Award for Distinguished Contributions to the International Advancement of Psychology. It is for these and his many other contributions to the study of culture in psychology that we are honored to award Dr. Hector Betancourt the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award of WPA.
WPA Distinguished Service Award
CHRIS ABERSON
Dr. Chris L. Aberson earned his PhD from Claremont Graduate University in 1999 and is a retired Professor of Social Psychology from Cal State Humboldt. His research programs focused on ingroup and implicit bias. In addition, he is renowned for his work in psychometrics and statistics, authoring Applied Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences. Dr. Aberson has provided a wide range of services to the Western Psychological Association over the past 20 years. First, he has been the Statistics Workshop Coordinator for 12 years. Second, he has served on two separate WPA committees: the Program Review Committee from 2004 to 2025, and the Council of Representatives from 2002 to 2012. Moreover, in 2011, Dr. Aberson wrote a primer for students and faculty titled Writing a Conference Abstract. It has been so successful that it is still published on the WPA website. Over the years, Dr. Aberson has made more than 130 presentations at WPA, most of which involved student authors. Finally, Dr. Aberson is a Fellow of WPA. In short, his service to WPA has been both broad and deep, and it is for these and other reasons that the Board of the Western Psychological Association is honored to bestow the Distinguished Service Award to Dr. Chris L. Aberson for the year 2026.
WPA Social Responsibility Award
RODOLFO MENDOZA-DENTON
Dr. Rodolfo (Rudy) Mendoza-Denton is a Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, with a distinguished record of teaching, research, and service. His research examines the psychological impact of prejudice and stigma, with particular attention to how these forces shape the lives and opportunities of marginalized communities. Complementing his research, he has demonstrated a deep and sustained commitment to addressing the needs of individuals from underrepresented backgrounds.
His service to the field is exemplary. Dr. Mendoza-Denton has served as President of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology and contributed to numerous Psychological Science committees focused on minority identity and academic achievement. For more than two decades, he has mentored undergraduate and graduate students through programs such as McNair and Haas Scholars, many of whom have gone on to successful academic careers. He has also received several teaching awards, reflecting his commitment to education as a pathway to social mobility. As Dr. Dacher Keltner wrote in his nomination letter, “Dr. Mendoza-Denton’s scientific career embodies social responsibility, with a focus on defining issues of our times, the pernicious costs of racism and how we can build relations and institutions that better the lives of all.”
WPA Outstanding Teaching Award
JASON T. SIEGEL
Dr. Jason T. Siegel is a Professor of Psychology at Claremont Graduate University with more than two decades of outstanding teaching, mentorship, and student advocacy. He consistently earns exceptional teaching evaluations and is widely recognized for his engaging, well-structured courses and his leadership in advancing student mental health. His advocacy has produced lasting, systemic change at Claremont Graduate University, most notably the implementation of a requirement that faculty include mental health messaging and resources in their course syllabi to increase help-seeking. Dr. Siegel has authored over 100 publications, many coauthored with students as first authors in top-tier journals, and, in the past year alone, has secured more than $100,000 in research funding to support student scholarship. His ability to deliver excellence in teaching, mentorship, and advocacy has had a lasting, transformative impact on his students and the university community. As one letter of support for this award attests, “His ability to inspire, support, and elevate his students is nothing short of transformative, leaving an indelible mark on their academic and personal journeys.”