Fields of Psychology

Clinical psychologists perform assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders and conduct research on people with mental disorders. They work in colleges and universities, mental health centres, or private practice (Lilienfeld et al., 2013).

Lilienfeld, S. O., Lynn, S. J., Namy, L. L., Woolf, N. J., Cramer, K. M., & Schmaltz, R. (2013). Psychology: From Inquiry to Understanding (2nd Ed.). Boston: Pearson.

Counsellors work with people experiencing temporary or relatively self-contained life problems, like marital conflict, sexual difficulties, occupational stressors, or career uncertainty. They work in counselling centres, hospitals, or private practice (although some work in academic and research settings) (Lilienfeld et al., 2013).

Lilienfeld, S. O., Lynn, S. J., Namy, L. L., Woolf, N. J., Cramer, K. M., & Schmaltz, R. (2013). Psychology: From Inquiry to Understanding (2nd Ed.). Boston: Pearson.

Psychiatry is the branch of medicine that deals with the causation, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of mental and behavioral disorders (Trivedi & Goel, 2006). Psychiatrists can prescribe medications and help manage medication treatment, while psychologists focus on psychotherapy and treating emotional and mental suffering in patients with behavioral intervention.

Trivedi, J. K., & Goel, D. (2006). What Psychiatry Means To Us. Mens Sana Monographs, 4(1), 166–183. https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-1229.27613

Forensic psychologists work in prisons, jails, and other settings to assess and diagnose inmates and assist with their rehabilitation and treatment. Others conduct research on eyewitness testimony or jury decision making. Forensic psychologists typically hold degrees in clinical or counselling psychology (Lilienfeld et al., 2013).

Lilienfeld, S. O., Lynn, S. J., Namy, L. L., Woolf, N. J., Cramer, K. M., & Schmaltz, R. (2013). Psychology: From Inquiry to Understanding (2nd Ed.). Boston: Pearson.

Experimental psychologists use research methods to study memory, language, thinking, and social behaviours of humans, as well general cognitions associated with disorders. They primarily work in research settings (Lilienfeld et al., 2013).

Lilienfeld, S. O., Lynn, S. J., Namy, L. L., Woolf, N. J., Cramer, K. M., & Schmaltz, R. (2013). Psychology: From Inquiry to Understanding (2nd Ed.). Boston: Pearson.

Neuropsychology is the study of the relations between brain function and behaviour, especially in humans. Today, measuring brain and behaviour increasingly includes non-invasive imaging, complex neuroanatomical measurement, and sophisticated behavioral analyses (Kolb, Whishaw & Teskey, 2016).

Kolb, B., Whishaw, I. Q., & Teskey, G. C. (2000). An introduction to brain and behavior (5th Ed.). New York: Worth.

Psychologists in this field work in companies and businesses to help select productive employees, evaluate performance, and examine the effects of different working or living conditions on people’s behaviour (called environmental psychologists). Psychologists in this field may also design equipment to maximize employee performance and minimize accidents (called human factors or engineering psychologists) (Lilienfeld et al., 2013).

​Lilienfeld, S. O., Lynn, S. J., Namy, L. L., Woolf, N. J., Cramer, K. M., & Schmaltz, R. (2013). Psychology: From Inquiry to Understanding (2nd Ed.). Boston: Pearson.

School psychologists work with teachers, parents, and children to remedy students’ behavioural, emotional and learning difficulties (Lilienfeld et al., 2013).

Lilienfeld, S. O., Lynn, S. J., Namy, L. L., Woolf, N. J., Cramer, K. M., & Schmaltz, R. (2013). Psychology: From Inquiry to Understanding (2nd Ed.). Boston: Pearson.

Developmental psychology is the study of how behaviour changes over the lifespan. Developmental psychologists conduct research on infants’, childrens’, and sometimes adults’ and elderly peoples’ emotional, physiological, and cognitive processes and how these change with age (Lilienfeld et al., 2013).

Lilienfeld, S. O., Lynn, S. J., Namy, L. L., Woolf, N. J., Cramer, K. M., & Schmaltz, R. (2013). Psychology: From Inquiry to Understanding (2nd Ed.). Boston: Pearson.

Social psychology is the study of how people influence others’ behaviour, beliefs, and attitudes—for both good and bad. Social psychology helps us understand not only why we sometimes act helpfully and even heroically in the presence of others, but also why we occasionally show our worst sides, caving in to group pressure or standing by idly while others suffer (Lilienfeld et al., 2013).

Lilienfeld, S. O., Lynn, S. J., Namy, L. L., Woolf, N. J., Cramer, K. M., & Schmaltz, R. (2013). Psychology: From Inquiry to Understanding (2nd Ed.). Boston: Pearson.