CAREERS IN PSYCHOLOGY

APA has 56 divisions/specialty areas in Psych!

Basic Research Subfields

• Pure science or research

• Research for the sake of finding new information and expanding the knowledge base of psychology

• Cognitive Psychologist:– Study thought processes, perception, language, attention, problem

solving, decision making, memory, intelligence

• Developmental Psychologist:– Study age related behavioral, mental, biological & social changes

throughout the lifespan.

• Educational Psychologist:– Study processes involved in learning and work to find ways to

improve the learning process.

• Experimental Psychologist:– Use experimental research method to study a variety of areas in

psychology to search for cause & effect relationships.

• Psychometric & Quantitative Psychologist:– Create, administer, score and interpret psychological tests

• Social Psychologist:– Study how other people influence our behaviors and mental

processes.

Applied Research

• Research designed to solve specific practical problems

• Forensic Psychologist:– Apply psychology to legal issues & cases

• Health Psychologist:– Identify conditions & practices associated with health & illness and work to create

ways to treat/prevent them.

• Industrial-Organizational Psychologist:– Study ways to improve working environments.

• Neuropsychologist:– Study the structure and function of the brain/nervous system and its links to

behavior and mental processes.

• Rehabilitation Psychologist:– Work with people who have lost mental functioning after an accident or health

issue.

• School Psychologist:– Work with students, parents and teachers to diagnose and treat issues that are

disrupting a student’s learning.

• Sport Psychologist:– Work with athletes to help them improve the mental factors that lead to success.

The Helping Professions

• Clinical Psychologist:– Diagnose and treat patients with psychological problems– Largest number of professional psychologists– Have a doctoral degree (not a medical doctor)

• Community Psychologist:– Work to improve mental health of traditionally underserved

communities facing difficult issues (poverty, racism, natural disasters).

• Counseling Psychologist:– Help people having trouble adjusting to major lifestyle changes (not

major disorders).

REVIEW

QUESTION: The difference between basic and applied research is…

ANSWER: Basic is scientific research trying to find new information.

Applied is research that is trying to solve a practical problem.

REVIEWQUESTION: Based on your reading, where

do most psychologists work?

ANSWER: Private Practice or Colleges & Universities