The first of these is the Society's obligation to provide academic recognition to its inductees by the mere fact of membership. The second goal is the obligation of each of the Society's local chapters to nurture the spark of that accomplishment by offering a climate congenial to its creative development. For example, the chapters make active attempts to nourish and stimulate professional growth through programs designed to augment and enhance the regular curriculum and to provide practical experience and fellowship through affiliation with the chapter. In addition, the national organization provides programs to help achieve these goals, including national and regional conventions held annually in conjunction with the psychological associations, research award competitions, and certificate recognition programs. The Society publishes a quarterly magazine, Eye on Psi Chi, which helps to unite the members as well as to inform and recognize their contributions and accomplishments, as well as the Psi Chi Journal of Undergraduate Research, a national, fully reviewed, quarterly journal dedicated to the publication of undergraduate student research.
Students become members by joining the chapter at the school where they are enrolled.
Psi Chi chapters are operated by student officers and faculty advisors. Together they select and induct the members and carry out the goals of the Society. All chapters register their inductees at the National Office, where the membership records are preserved for reference purposes. The total number of memberships preserved at the national office during the first 70 years is over 360,000. Many of these members have gone on to distinguished careers in psychology.