The society began as a branch of the
British Psychological Society in 1947, becoming an independent body in 1967. Originally the society was dominated by academic psychologists, but by the 1960s and 1970s, practicing psychologists, primarily
clinical psychologists, became a growing voice within the society. Between 1968 and 1978, the society grew to over 600 members. and submitted in support of changes to the Crimes Amendment Bill in 1974, the first parliamentary attempt at
homosexual law reform in New Zealand. In 1978,
Ann Ballin became the first woman president of the society. The society is a constituent organisation of
Royal Society Te Apārangi.
Institutes and divisions Within the society, a number of divisions exist to promote and foster specific fields of psychology. The
Clinical Psychology Division was formed in the 1970s, As of 2022, there are seven institutes and one special interest group: • Institute of Clinical Psychology • Institute of Community Psychology Aotearoa • Institute of Counselling Psychology • Institute of Criminal Justice and Forensic Psychology • Institute of Educational and Developmental Psychology • Institute of Health Psychology • Institute of Organisational Psychology • Special Interest Group (Coaching Psychology) ==Registration==