The reviews published in this journal cover diverse topics such as language, memory and cognition, development, the neural basis of behavior and emotions, various aspects of psychopathology, and theory of mind.

These articles allow readers to stay apprised of important developments across subfields beyond their areas of expertise and bodies of research they might not otherwise be aware of.

The articles in Current Directions are also written to be accessible to non-experts, making them suitable for use in the classroom as teaching supplements.

In addition to a large number of institutional subscribers worldwide, the 25,000 members of the Association for Psychological Science receive the journal as part of their membership The journal was co-founded by Sandra Scarr of University of Virginia, and Charles R. Gallistel of Rutgers University.

Occasionally, special issues or sections of this journal are published to address specific topics or trends in psychological science.