Agenda of the Congress

Social influence is one of the central themes of social psychology, but in public debate it is presented in a simplistic and sensational way. Here we analyze this impact in depth, looking at the following issues:

Social Influence Under the Microscope: How to Persuade in a Responsible Way?: When and how social influence actually works, where persuasion ends and manipulation begins, and why “mind programming” is more often a myth than a science.

Psychology in Business vs. Psychological Business: what in practice gives the psychology of organization and consumer behavior, and what is the marketing promise of “miraculous” techniques of influence without a scientific basis.

Between Cultures: Why We Misunderstand Each Other — and Whether We Can Change It: how cultural differences affect communication, trust and cooperation and how to translate scientific knowledge into integration, management and migration policies.

Information Warfare: How Disinformation Shapes Modern Conflicts: mechanisms of susceptibility to false narratives, the role of emotions and group dynamics, and methods of building the informational resilience of individuals and institutions.

The Human Side of Business: Business, innovation, and public sector leaders will discuss modern leadership, effective management, and how to build organizations that support employee growth and well-being.

Psychology plays an essential role in understanding the relationship between human behavior and societies and the climate crisis. To better understand the mechanisms at work here, we will look at them in the following contexts:

Fast fashion and greenwashing: psychological mechanisms of the need to own and succumb to fashion and ways of distinguishing real pro-ecological actions from appearances.

Ecological anxiety: emotional responses to the climate crisis, their consequences for mental health, and strategies for reinforcing agency and reducing apathy.

Activism and Climate Change: psychological barriers to acceptance of scientific data and the effectiveness of pro-climate activism.

Challenges of climate migration: the psychological and social consequences of climate change-induced migration for individuals, communities and social systems.

Digital technologies have become an integral part of everyday life, influencing ways to regulate emotions, build relationships, learn and make decisions, and aid therapy. So we look at the following issues:

AI and Human Functioning: the possibilities, risks and limits of the use of AI in the understanding of what it means to “think” and “feel”, and in diagnosis and psychological assistance.

Generative Artificial Intelligence and the Polish Labor Market.

Computer games: the psychological mechanisms behind games “pulling” us in (e.g., rewards, challenges, and the illusion of control) and turning them into a harmful habit.

Smart Vehicles and Moral Dilemmas the psychology of morality towards the decisions of autonomous machines, responsibility for the effects of the operation of algorithms and social acceptance of technology.

Psychological Interventions on the Internet: technologies (e.g. apps, VR, chatbots) in prevention and psychological support and scientific evidence.

There are phenomena that we know well, but which today, in the light of the progress of knowledge and technology and cultural changes, acquire a completely new meaning. We look here, therefore, at how psychology confronts the widely discussed challenges of the modern age. This includes the following threads:

New Faces of Weight Loss: psychological, social and ethical consequences of pharmacological weight regulation, cultural pressure of thinness, and changes in the understanding of eating habits.

Neurodiversity and gender: gender differences in the diagnosis of neurodiversity, the phenomenon of symptom masking, and the relationships between neurodiversity and gender identity.

New Masculinity: redefinition of masculinity in the modern world, its impact on identity, interpersonal relationships and psychological well-being of men.

Loneliness and its monetization: psychological effects of the commercialization of loneliness, digital relationship substitutes, and technological “management” of the need for closeness.

Close relationships remain a key social environment in which individual development takes place and well-being is shaped. These relationships are currently undergoing dynamic transformations. We will look at the various aspects of these changes and the resulting conclusions in the following thematic threads:

The Contemporary Family: New forms of family life, their social conditions and their importance for well-being.

Romantic Relationships: contemporary expectations of romantic relationships, the tension between closeness and autonomy, and the psychological underpinnings of lasting relationships.

Psychology of Dating: mate selection mechanisms, the impact of dating apps and the causes of dating fatigue in the modern world.

Domestic Violence: The current state of domestic violence in Poland, an assessment of measures undertaken by the state, and recommendations for more effective prevention and better protection of victims.

The Mental Health Crisis Among Children and Adolescents: Global challenges related to the mental health of young people, the activities of the World Health Organization, and new directions in the development of support and care systems.

The “Mental Health” thematic track offers an opportunity to explore a broad spectrum of contemporary mental health challenges. By breaking cultural taboos, we will shed light on the hidden aspects of modern sexuality — from the risks of compulsive behaviours to the widespread, yet often concealed, issue of low libido, typically discussed only behind closed doors.

We will also examine the many faces of mood disorders, including depression, dispelling myths surrounding both these conditions and their treatment methods. In response to these challenges, speakers will demonstrate how essential a holistic approach — integrating body and mind — is to public health, while also highlighting the fundamental role of our social environment in supporting mental well-being.

Physical Health and Mental Health: a holistic approach to health, integrating mental and somatic processes in everyday lifestyle, prevention and therapy.

Where does the norm end in the pursuit of orgasm? Has contemporary sexuality become freer—or more confused? Today’s world offers unprecedented access to a wide range of ways to satisfy sexual needs and enhance sexual pleasure, including pornography and psychoactive substances. As a result, the boundary between normative use and compulsive, harmful overuse can become increasingly blurred, affecting relationships, self-esteem, and mental health. This raises an important question: how can we wisely balance sexual freedom with psychological well-being? Understanding the factors that contribute to healthy sexual expression—as well as those that increase the risk of problematic behaviors—is essential for maintaining both satisfying relationships and good mental health.

Depression — Myths and Facts: a contemporary view of depression and the variety of its symptoms and the effectiveness and limitations of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy.

Social and Mental Health.

Criminal Psychopathy: Myths, Theory, Research, and Practice: confrontation of popular notions about psychopathy with research findings and implications for diagnosis and practice.

The work environment has a significant impact not only on the efficiency of tasks performed but also on employees' mental health, motivation, and satisfaction. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the factors that can lead to conflicts, a decline in well-being, and difficulties in professional relationships.

Mobbing at work: psychological mechanisms of mobbing and bullying at work, their consequences for health and strategies for recognition and counteraction in the professional environment.

Working Between Toxicity and Self-Destruction: contemporary problems of professional functioning associated with excessive perfectionism, procrastination and abusive relationships.

Biological conditions form the basis of human capabilities. However, many myths and simplifications can be identified here. We will review them in relation to the following topics:

Intelligence, creativity and mind: what intelligence and creativity are, how to measure and interpret them, and how to distinguish sound empirical conclusions from common myths and simplifications.

The Role of Heredity in Human Behavior: how to understand the heritability of traits, gene-environment relationships, and why “innate” does not mean immutable or resistant to the influence of experience.

Psychedelics in therapy: the clinical potential of psychedelic-assisted therapy, the conditions of safety and efficacy, and the risks arising from abuse and non-medical uses.

Healthy aging: cognitive and emotional changes in later life and strategies to support healthy aging and maintain fitness despite increasing health burdens.

Aesthetics for Well-Being: How Does Living Space Affect Quality of Life? How the brain responds to the art and aesthetics of the everyday environment, and how beauty affects emotions, decisions, and well-being.

Creative Work and Burnout: psychological costs of creative work, job pressure and uncertainty, and ways to protect mental health in creative professions.

The city is not only an infrastructure, but also an environment of daily psychophysical functioning. We are therefore interested in topics such as:

Walkable City: How Pedestrian-Friendly Urban Design Influences Health, Social Activity, Mental Well-Being, and Residents’ Quality of Life.

City that Supports Psychological Restoration: The Role of Greenery and Aesthetic, Quiet Urban Spaces in Reducing Stress and Supporting Rest.

Place Identity and Social Relationships: How Urban Spaces Foster a Sense of Belonging, Social Bonds, and Local Engagement.

War is one of the key events of a potentially traumatic nature, not only for individuals, but for entire societies. Understanding the psychological context is crucial for preventing the escalating mechanisms that result in armed conflict, as well as for effectively helping those struggling with their effects. So, we will discuss the following topics here:

War and Peace: how the threat of conflict and the experience of war affect affective well-being, social attitudes, and relationships, and why trauma can sustain a spiral of hostility rather than foster peace.

Historical trauma: identity and relationships: how collective memory and intergenerational transmission affect identity, prejudice, and reconciliation, and when the past helps and when it blocks development.

Ideological Polarization in Poland in 2026 (Report). This report delivers the results of a nationwide study on social polarization in Poland, a collaborative effort between SWPS University and the New Community Foundation. As the first study of such a comprehensive scope, it highlights three distinct dimensions of the phenomenon: ideological, affective, and perceived polarization.

Radicalization of social relations and politics: psychological sources of polarization, its costs for dialogue and governance, and strategies to limit the escalation of social conflict.

Psychology provides an empirical framework not only to describe and understand, but also to enhance well-being and quality of life. Here we will look at the mechanisms of well-being studied in the following areas:

Well-being and happiness: what is the good life, what are the psychological alternatives to the pursuit of happiness and how to develop competences that promote lasting well-being.

The power of sleep for human health: the role of sleep in mental, physical, cognitive and social health and the causes of sleep disorders and methods of their reduction.

Can money buy happiness? Relationships between well-being and money, consumption, experiences and relationships, and the limits of material sources of happiness.

In quest for happiness and meaning: a debate focusing on a multidimensional approach in discovering the essence of well-being and mature inner life.

Frontiers in Psychology explores the tensions between knowledge based on empirical evidence, the professional application of psychology, and its presence in popular culture. We will do this in relation to the following issues:

Psychology in the public space: where the line runs between the reliable popularization of psychological knowledge and its oversimplification, infantilization and loss of scientific responsibility.

Can anyone become a psychotherapist? : the differences between psychology and psychotherapy, the importance of methods based on scientific evidence, and criteria for the effectiveness and ethics of therapeutic work.

The role of  mind in sport: the importance of mental preparation in achieving sporting success, coping with pressure and failure and the transfer of psychological competence to everyday life.

The functioning of learners and learners at school depends on a complex interplay of individual, relational and institutional factors. Psychology helps to understand how to make this experience actually pro-developmental. We will review what is known about it in relation to the following areas:

Protective and risk factors at school: how the school environment can support or threaten the mental health of students and teachers.

Challenges of the modern school and good practices: the real problems of education, the role of teachers and school leaders and effective solutions to promote well-being in schools.

What About School? Young Voices on Education, Well-Being, and Change: the voice of students as a key resource in the design of a school that supports the well-being, agency and development of young people.