Psychology as a Profession/Fields of Psychology
Academic Fields
- Focuses on basic research to build psychology's knowledge base.
- Mostly found in colleges and universities.
- Main job is teaching and research.
Applied Fields
- Focuses on applied research to solve specific practical problems or improve human life.
- Found in schools, industry, medical/health centers, etc.
Fields of Specialization (Academic)
- Biological Psychology/Psychobiology: Studies the biological bases of behavior (e.g., role of chemicals in communication in the nervous system, effects of psychoactive drugs).
- Comparative Psychology: Studies similarities and differences in physiology, behaviors, and abilities of animals and human beings.
- Cognitive Psychology: Studies mental processes and complex behaviors such as perception, attention, learning, memory, concept formation, and problem-solving.
- Developmental Psychology: Studies physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development throughout the life span (conception to death).
- Social Psychology: Studies how people think and feel about themselves and others, how groups function, and how the presence of others affects behavior.
- Personality Psychology: Focuses on factors accounting for differences in behavior and enduring personal traits and characteristics among individuals.
- Experimental Psychology: Focuses on laboratory research of basic psychological processes including learning, perception, motivation, sensation, emotion etc.
- Cross-cultural psychology: Examines the role of culture in understanding behavior and compares psychological processes across cultures to ascertain universality or culture-specificity.
Fields of Specialization (Applied)
- Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Applies psychological principles to the workplace to improve working conditions, train employees, boost production, and place applicants in suitable jobs.
- Clinical Psychology: Applies psychological principles to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of psychological disorders and emotional problems.
- School Psychology: Applies psychological principles to improve academic performance and social behavior of students and provide counseling.
- Educational Psychology: Applies psychological principles to improve curriculum, teaching methods, teacher training, and administration of academic programs; also devises tests and develops new instructional devices.
- Forensic Psychology: Applies psychological principles to improve the legal, courts, and correctional system, including assisting police and understanding problems like abuse.
- Counseling Psychology: Applies psychological principles to help individuals deal with personal problems related to life changes, challenges, and adjustment (e.g., career, family, marriage, addiction).
- Environmental Psychology: Applies psychological principles to improve the physical environment, including building design and noise reduction; studies the effects of the environment on people.
- Engineering/Human Factors Psychology: Applies psychological principles to the design of equipment and instruments.
- Health Psychology: Applies psychological principles to the prevention and treatment of physical illness, considering factors influencing health status (e.g., socio-economic status, education, background).
- Sport Psychology: Applies psychological principles to help amateur and sports professionals improve their performance.
- Community Psychology: Focuses on providing accessible care for people with psychological problems (e.g., establishing community-based mental health centers).
Areas of Work
- Universities & Colleges
- Schools
- Health institutions (i.e., hospitals and clinics)
- Business organizations
- Industries
- Governmental organizations
- NGOs
- Private practice