Different Fields And Branches Of Psychology 131p1m

Different fields and branches of Psychology 1. Abnormal Psychology Abnormal psychology is the area that looks at psychopathology and abnormal behavior. The term covers a broad range of disorders, from depression to obsession-compulsion to sexual deviation and many more. Counselors, clinical psychologists and psychotherapists often work directly in this field.

2. Behavioral Psychology Behavioral psychology, also known as behaviorism, is a theory of learning based upon the idea that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning. While this branch of psychology dominated the field during the first part of the twentieth century, it became less prominent during the 1950s. However, behavioral techniques remain a mainstay in therapy, education and many other areas.

3. Biopsychology The branch of psychology focused on the study of how the brain influences behavior is often known as biopsychology, although it has also been called physiological psychology, behavioral neuroscience and psychobiology.

4. Cognitive Psychology Cognitive psychology is the branch of psychology that focuses on internal states, such as motivation, problem solving, decisionmaking, thinking and attention. This area of psychology has continued to grow since it emerged in the 1960s.

5. Comparative Psychology Comparative psychology is the branch of psychology concerned with the study of animal behavior. The study of animal behavior can lead to a deeper and broader understanding of human psychology.

6. Cross-Cultural Psychology Cross-cultural psychology is a branch of psychology that looks at how cultural factors influence human behavior. The International Association of Cross-Cultural Psychology (IAC) was established in 1972, and this branch of psychology has continued to grow and develop since that time. Today, increasing numbers of psychologists

investigate how behavior differs among various cultures throughout the world.

7. Developmental Psychology This branch of psychology looks at development throughout the lifespan, from childhood to adulthood. The scientific study of human development seeks to understand and explain how and why people change throughout life. This includes all aspects of human growth, including physical, emotional, intellectual, social, perceptual and personality development. Topics studied in this field include everything from prenatal development to Alzheimer's disease.

8. Educational Psychology Educational psychology is the branch of psychology concerned with schools, teaching psychology, educational issues and student concerns. Educational psychologists often study how students learn or work directly with students, parents, teachers and s to improve student outcomes.

10. Forensic Psychology Forensic psychology is a specialty area that deals with issues related to psychology and the law. Forensic psychologists perform a wide variety of duties, including providing testimony in court cases, assessing children in suspected child abuse cases, preparing children to give testimony and evaluating the mental competence of criminal suspects.

11. Health Psychology Health psychology is a specialty area that focuses on how biology, psychology, behavior and social factors influence health and illness. Other including medical psychology and behavioral medicine are sometimes used interchangeably with the term health psychology. The field of health psychology is focused on promoting health as well as the prevention and treatment of disease and illness.

12. Personality Psychology

This branch of psychology is focused on the patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behavior that make a person unique. Some of the bestknown theories in psychology have arisen from this field, including Freud's psychoanalytic theory of personality and Erikson's theory of psychosocial development.

13. Social Psychology Social psychology seeks to explain and understand social behavior and looks at diverse topics including group behavior, social interactions, leadership, nonverbal communication and social influences on decision-making. http://psychology.about.com/od/branchesofpsycholog1/tp/branchesof-psychology.htm Fields of Psychology Industrial Organizational Psychology Counseling Psychology Clinical Psychology Developmental Psychology Experimental and Human Factors Psychology Educational Psychology Social Psychology School Psychology Physiological Psychology Environmental Psychology Health Psychology Family Psychology Rehabilitation Psychology Psychometrics and Quantitative Psychology Forensic Psychology and Psychology with the Law Neuropsychology/Psychobiology Geropsychology/Psychology of Aging Sport Psychology Consumer Psychology Aviation Psychology Industrial Organizational Psychology Industrial/Organizational Psychology is a field in which scientific principles are developed and applied in the workplace. Industrial Psychology is focused on the management perspective of organizational effectiveness through the proper use of human resources and people. Common issues in Industrial Psychology include performance appraisals, efficient job design, and employee selection and training. Organizational Psychology, on the other hand, is focused more on the individual employee. It is concerned with understanding and enhancing the well-being and development of the individual employee. Common issues in Organizational Psychology include job stress, employee attitudes and behavior, and supervisory practices

Counseling Psychology "Counseling psychologists do many of the same things that clinical psychologists do. However, counseling psychologists tend to focus more on persons with adjustment problems, rather than on persons suffering from severe psychological disorders. Counseling psychologists are employed in academic settings, community mental health centers, and private practice. Recent research tends to indicate that training in counseling and clinical psychology are very similar" (as stated on the APA website). Clinical Psychology "Clinical psychologists assess and treat people with psychological problems. They may act as therapists for people experiencing normal psychological crises (e.g., grief) or for individuals suffering from chronic psychiatric disorders. Some clinical psychologists are generalists who work with a wide variety of populations, while others work with specific groups like children, the elderly, or those with specific disorders (e.g., schizophrenia). They may be found in hospitals, community health centers, or private practice" (as stated on the APA website).

Developmental Psychology "Developmental psychologists study how we develop intellectually, socially, emotionally, and morally during our lifespan. Some focus on just one period of life (e.g., childhood or adolescence). Developmental psychologists usually do research and teach in academic settings, but many act as consultants to day-care centers, schools, or social service agencies" (as stated on the APA website). Experimental and Human Factors Psychology "This area of specialization includes a diverse group of psychologists who do research in the most basic areas of psychology (e.g., learning, memory, attention, cognition, sensation, perception, motivation, and language). Sometimes their research is conducted with animals instead of humans. Most of these psychologists are faculty at colleges and universities" (as stated on the APA website). Educational Psychology "Educational psychologists are concerned with the study of human learning. They attempt to understand the basic aspects of learning and then develop materials and strategies for enhancing the learning process. For example, an educational psychologist might study reading and develop a new technique for teaching reading from the results of the research" (as stated on the APA website). Social Psychology "Social psychologists study how our beliefs, feelings, and behaviors are affected by other persons. Some of the topics of interest to social psychologists are attitudes, aggression, prejudice, love, and interpersonal attraction. Most social psychologists are on the faculty of colleges and universities, but an increasing number are being hired by hospitals, federal agencies, and businesses to perform applied research" (as stated on the APA website).

School Psychology "School psychologists are involved in the development of children in educational settings. They are typically involved in the assessment of children and the recommendation of actions to facilitate students' learning. They often act as consultants to parents and s to optimize the learning environments of specific students" (as stated on the APA website). Physiological Psychology "Physiological psychology is one of psychology's hottest areas because of the recent dramatic increase in interest in the physiological correlates of behavior. These psychologists study both very basic processes (e.g., how brain cells function) and more observable phenomena (e.g., behavior change as a function of drug use or the biological/genetic roots of psychiatric disorders). Some physiological psychologists continue their education in clinical areas and work with people who have neurological problems" (as stated on the APA website). Environmental Psychology "Environmental psychologists are concerned with the relations between psychological processes and physical environments ranging from homes and offices to urban areas and regions. Environmental psychologists may do research on attitudes toward different environments, personal space, or the effects on productivity of different office designs" (as stated on the APA website). Health Psychology "Health psychologists are concerned with psychology's contributions to the promotion and maintenance of good health and the prevention and treatment of illness. They design and conduct programs to help individuals stop smoking, lose weight, manage stress, prevent cavities, or stay physically fit. They are employed in hospitals, medical schools, rehabilitation centers, public health agencies, and in private practice" (as stated on the APA website). Family Psychology "Family psychologists are concerned with the prevention of family conflict, the treatment of marital and family problems, and the maintenance of normal family functioning. They design and conduct programs for marital enrichment, pre-marital preparation, and improved parent-child relations. They also conduct research on topics such as child abuse, family communications patterns, and the effects of divorce and remarriage. Family psychologists are often employed in medical schools, hospitals, community agencies, and in private practice" (as stated on the APA website). Rehabilitation Psychology "Rehabilitation psychologists work with people who have suffered physical deprivation or loss at birth or during later development as a result of damage or deterioration of function (e.g., resulting from a stroke). They help people overcome both the psychological and situational barriers to effective functioning in the world. Rehabilitation psychologists work in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, medical schools, and in government rehabilitation agencies" (as stated on the APA website). Psychometrics and Quantitative Psychology "Psychometric and quantitative psychologists are concerned with the methods and techniques used to acquire and apply psychological knowledge. A psychometrist revises old intelligence, personality, and aptitude tests and devises new ones.

Quantitative psychologists assist researchers in psychology or other fields to design experiments or interpret their results. Psychometrists and quantitative psychologists are often employed in colleges and universities, testing companies, private research firms, and government agencies" (as stated on the APA website). Forensic Psychology and Psychology with the Law "Psychology and the law studies legal issues from a psychological perspective (e.g., how juries decide cases) and psychological questions in a legal context (e.g., how jurors assign blame or responsibility for a crime). Forensic psychologists are concerned with the applied and clinical facets of the law such as determining a defendant's competence to stand trial or if an accident victim has suffered physical or neurological damage. Jobs in these areas are in law schools, research organizations, community mental health agencies, and correctional institutions" (as stated on the APA website). Neuropsychology/Psychobiology "Psychobiologists and neuropsychologists investigate the relation between physical systems and behavior. Topics they study include the relation of specific biochemical mechanisms in the brain to behavior, the relation of brain structure to function, and the chemical and physical changes that occur in the body when we experience different emotions. Neuropsychologists also diagnose and treat disorders related to the central nervous system. They may diagnose behavioral disturbances related to suspected dysfunctions of the central nervous system and treat patients by teaching them new ways to acquire and process information technique known as cognitive retraining. Clinical neuropsychologists work in the neurology, neurosurgery, psychiatric, and pediatric units of hospitals, and in clinics. They also work in academic settings where they conduct research and train other neuropsychologists, clinical psychologists, and medical doctors. Most positions in neuropsychology and biopsychology are at the doctoral level, and many require postdoctoral training. Limited opportunities exist at the bachelor's and master's level for technicians and research assistants" (as stated on the UNIwebsite). Geropsychology/Psychology of Aging "Researchers in the psychology of aging (geropsychology) draw on Sociology, biology, and other disciplines as well as psychology to study the factors associated with adult development and aging. For example, they may investigate how the brain and the nervous system change as humans age and what effects those changes have on behavior or how a person's style of coping with problems varies with age. Clinicians in geropsychology apply their knowledge about the aging process to improve the psychological welfare of the elderly. Many people interested in the psychology of aging are trained in a more traditional graduate program in psychology, such as experimental, clinical, developmental, or social. While they are enrolled in such a program, they become geropsychologists by focusing their research, coursework, and practical experiences on adult development and aging... Geropsychologists are finding jobs in academic settings, research centers, industry, health care organizations, mental health clinics, and agencies serving the elderly. Some are engaged in private practice, either as clinical or counseling psychologists, or as consultants on such matters as the design and the evaluation of programs. A doctorate is normally required for teaching, research, and clinical practice, but an

increasing number of employment opportunities are becoming available for people with associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees. These positions typically involve the supervised provision of services to adults in nursing homes, senior citizens centers, or state and local government offices for the elderly" (as stated on the UNI website). Sport Psychology "Sport psychology is (a) the study of the psychological and mental factors that influence and are influenced by participation and performance in sport, exercise, and physical activity, and (b) the application of the knowledge gained through this study to everyday settings. Sport psychology professionals are interested in how participation in sport, exercise, and physical activity may enhance personal development and well-being throughout the life span. Sport psychologists are also involved in assisting coaches in working with athletes as well as helping improve athletes' motivation". Consumer Psychology "Consumer Psychology is the study of human responses to product and service related information and experiences. Many responses are important, including beliefs and judgments, emotions, purchase decisions, and consumption practices. A broad range of product and service related information is also important, such as ments, package labels, coupons, consumer magazines, and word-of-mouth communications from friends and relatives. The goals of consumer psychologists are to describe, predict, influence, and/or explain consumer responses. Consumer psychologists are educators, researchers, and s. They get direct from their work and they see how it c hanges things. It is not easy to understand why some people buy and others do not. Nor is it a simple matter to discover the trends and predict where things are going in the next few years. The majority of business executives and managers are well educated and trained in their field, but few are also all that familiar with the behavioral sciences. This is where consumer psychologists step in". Aviation Psychology "Psychology applied to aviation is an integrative field involving knowledge of just about all areas in psychology, including perception and attention, cognition, physiological, experimental, industrial/organizational, clinical, and educational. In addition to having knowledge in the field of psychology, one who is interested in studying psychology applied to aviation must know about the aviation field including the pilot's tasks, memory and decision making skills, pilot selection, cockpit designs, human-computer interaction, human factors design, training systems development, program management and human performance research. An aviation psychologist is concerned with pilot performance and reducing flight crew error. One who is interested in this field will be challenged with the goal of inventing the most efficient way of allowing information to reach the pilot. The Aviation Psychologist works to prioritize information coming in to the pilot, so that the more crucial information is salient. Because the field of aviation psychology is integrative, one may hold different titles depending on their area of emphasis. For example, those with an experimental emphasis would be Aerospace Experimental Psychologists (AEP), with an engineering emphasis would be Aerospace

Engineering Psychologist, with a human factors emphasis would be Human Factor Specialists in aviation and so on". http://undergrad.psy.ohio-state.edu/html/grad_fields.php