What comes to mind when you think of the term psychology?

 Psychology: the scientific study of behaviour and mental processes. Psychologists usually focus on the thoughts, feelings, and actions of individual people.  Behaviour: a person’s (or animals) actions and reactions that can be observed and measured by others (examples: an infant babbling, a child working on a puzzle, an adult voting and a rat running through a maze)  Mental Process: occurrences within an individual's mind that cannot be directly observed by others (examples: hopes, dreams, thoughts beliefs, wishes and fears)

 Psychology can be considered a science. Some branches are primarily concerned with how the brain works and how it affects behaviour – how we see, hear, smell and touch  Other branches are interested in how our genetic makeup affects our behaviour  Psychology is both a philosophical and scientific pursuit

 Clinical psychologists – work with clients in an attempt to help the clients deal with their problems  Problems can range from addictions to learning disabilities to depression to phobias ect.  Duties include psychotherapy (talking with clients about their problems and working together to solve them), testing techniques, teaching, researching and consulting  Clinical psychologists usually have a bachelor degree and well as a post-graduate degree

 Psychiatrists – perform the same duties as a clinical psychologist but are medical doctors  Counsellors – perform activities such as preventative treatment, consultation, development of outreach programs, vocational (job and career) counselling and short-term therapy  Counsellors most often work in an educational setting. Their main focus is the client in social situations.  They generally have a bachelor’s degree as well as a post-graduate degree in counselling

 Psychological paraprofessionals – work in close contact with clinical psychologists and psychiatrists  They can be psychiatric nurses, hospital attendants, therapists or volunteers  They provide valuable insight into a client’s behaviour

 There are many different branches and each focuses on different aspects of behaviour

 Is based on three things: if the individual experiencing the behaviour is distressed by it (not being able to cloth or bathe oneself); whether or not the behaviour affects the individual’s life or functioning in a negative way (having a phobia); and whether or not the behaviour is deemed culturally acceptable

 Is based on the notion that behaviour are learned. Conclusions about behaviour can only be made if they have been directly observed. Behavioural psychology has a heavy focus on research.

 Deals exclusively with treating people with abnormal behaviours. They rely on techniques from other branches of psychology in order to help their clients.

 Is a technique used to treat abnormal behaviours. Hypnosis is an artificially induced state of awareness which resembles sleep. The hypnotized person is open to suggestion and, although he/she may believe almost anything they are told and will do almost anything that is requested of them, however there are limits to what they will actually do.  Hypnotherapy is the treatment of emotional and metal problems with hypnosis.

 Focuses on human information processing, which is the manner in which the brain does things like learn, memorize, problem solve, recognize, use language and many other higher level processing.  This field relies on both philosophical and scientific thought, as well as computer models to attempt to prove their theories.

 Studies the way a child’s behaviour changes as the child develops or grows into adulthood.  Developmental psychology focuses on physical growth, mental growth, moral growth and all other aspects of human nature

 Is not a fully accepted branch. Parapsychology studies mysterious phenomenon like psychic powers, telepathy, ghosts, out-of-body experiences and reincarnation.  Mysterious phenomena is difficult to prove and document.  Do you believe in this branch? Do you ever experience déjà vu? Do you believe in ghosts or angels? Do you believe in reincarnation? Do you ever get premonitions?

 Is concerned with how the body affects behaviour. This includes how brain structure, hormones, cells, the nervous system, drugs and injuries affect how we think, act and move.  They believe that the mind and the body are one.

 Is the study of how humans behave in social situations. It focuses on how an individual’s behaviour is influenced by other.  Topics in this area include relationships, aggression, stereotypes, attraction, behaviour in groups and prejudice.