1. Occupations & Subfields of Psychology

2. Misconception!!!
Psychologist: someone who has completed four to five years of post graduate education and has obtained a Ph.D., PsyD., or Ed.D. in psychology.
Clinical Psychologist: specialized in a clinical subarea, and has spent an additional year in a supervised therapy setting to gain experience in diagnosing and treating a wide range of abnormal behaviors.
Psychiatrist: medical doctor (M.D.) who has spent several years in clinical training, which includes diagnosing possible physical and neurological causes of abnormal behaviors and treating these behaviors, often with prescription drugs.

4. Social and Personality
Interest: How important are first impression? Why do we use stereotypes? What causes aggression?
Social: involves the study of social interactions, stereotypes, prejudices, attitudes, confomity, group behaviors, and aggression.
Personality: involves the study of personality development, personality change, assessment, andabnormal behaviors.
Many work in academic settings, but some work as consultants and personnel managers in business.
22% of psychologists choose social and 5% choose personality.

5. Developmental
Interests: When does a newborn recognize his or her parents? What happens to teenagers at puberty? What happens to memory as a person grows older?
Developmental: examines moral, social, emotional, and cognitive development throughout a person’s entire life.
Some focus on changes in infancy and childhood, while others trace changes through adolescence, adulthood, and old age.
They work in academic settings and may consult on day care or programs for the aging.
About 25% choose this speciality.

6. Experimental
Interests: Why does an animal press a bar to obtain food? Why do we feel fear when we see a snake? Can learning principles be used to treat a phobia?
Experimental: includes areas of sensation, perception, learning, human performance, motivation, and emotion.
Conduct much of their research under carefully controlled laboratory conditions, with both animal and human subjects.
Most work in academic setting, but some also work in business, industry, and government.
About 16% specialize in experimental psychology

7. Biological
Interest: How do brain cells change during Alzheimer’s disease? Does coffee improve your memory? Do genes affect your intelligence and personality?
Biological: (psychobiology) involves research on the physical and chemical changes that occur during stress, learning, and emotions, as well as how our genetic makeup, brain, and nervous system interact with our environments and influence our behaviors.
Work in academic settings, hospitals, and private research laboratories.
About 8% choose this area.

8. Cognitive
Interest: What was unique about Einstein’s thought processes? Can you learn something but not remember it? What are repressed memories?
Cognitive: involves how we process, store, and retrieve information and how cognitive processes influence our behaviors.
Research includes memory, thinking, language, creativity, and decision making. New areas, such as artificial intelligence, combine knowledge of the brain’s functions with computer programming in an attempt to duplicate human thinking and intelligence. Another new area combines cognitive and biological approaches and is called cognitive neuroscience.
About 5% select this area.

9. Psychometrics
Interests: What do college entrance tests show? What career best fits my abilities? How do tests assess abnormal behaviors?
Psychometrics: focuses on the measurement of people’s abilities, skills, intelligence, personality, and abnormal behaviors.
Focus on developing a wide range of psychological tests, which must be continually updated and checked for usefulness and cultural biases. Some of these tests are used to assess people’s skills and abilities, as well as to predict their performance in certain careers and situations, such as college or business.
About 5% select this area

10. Types of Psychologists
Clinical Psychologists
Counseling Psychologists
Developmental Psychologists
Educational Psychologists
Community Psychologists
Help people deal with their problems. May work in hospitals, prisons, etc.
Assist people with the problems of everyday life. Work in schools, etc.
Study the physical, emotional, cognitive and social changes that occur throughout life.
Deal with topics related to teaching children and young adults.
Design, run and evaluate mental health services. May work for a mental health or social welfare agency.

11. Types of Psychologists (cont.)
Industrial/Organizational Psychologists
Environmental Psychologists
Psychobiologists
Forensic Psychologists
Health Psychologists
Study and develop methods to boost production, improve working conditions, place job applicants, and reduce accidents.
Study the effects of the environment on people.
Study the effects of drugs try to explain behavior in terms of biological factors.
Work in legal, court, and correctional systems.
Study the interaction between physical and psychological health factors.