Subfields in Psychology Clinical psychologists Promote psychological health ○ Diagnose and treat people with emotional disturbances Help people deal with their personal problems ○ Examples: Depression, Personality disorders, Schizophrenia Work in: ○ Mental hospitals ○ Prisons ○ Clinics ○ Private practices ○ Schools ○ Industries ○ Counseling centers ○ Government agencies

Subfields in Psychology Counseling Psychologists Help people by advising and assisting with the problems of everyday life ○ Adjust to life transitions or make life-style changes Concerned with “normal” problems of adjustment or challenge ○ Academic stress, choosing a career, marital problems Work in: ○ Academic settings Schools ○ Community health centers ○ Private clinics Focus on… Qualities of individual Surrounding environment Life span Gender Race

Subfields in Psychology cont’d  Developmental psychologists Study how people change over time Interested in: ○ Physical changes ○ Emotional development ○ Cognitive processes Work in: ○ Academic settings Public schools ○ Day-care centers ○ Senior centers ○ Youth group programs ○ Hospitals  Educational psychologists Study processes of learning, remembering, and thinking Topics related to teaching children and young adults ○ Intelligence, memory, problem solving Work in: ○ Universities ○ Schools ○ Education companies

Subfields in Psychology cont’d  Industrial/Organizational psychologists Concerned with relationship between people and organizational structures ○ Study of people in the workforce Employed by businesses and government agencies Study and develop methods to boost production, improve working conditions, place job applicants, and train people Work in: ○ Government ○ Industry ○ Businesses ○ Colleges and Universities

Subfields in Psychology cont’d  Experimental psychologists Perform research to understand how humans operate physically and psychologically ○ Learning, memory, sensation, perception, cognition, motivation, emotion Supply information and research used in psychology ○ Most identify with particular subfield of psychology Work in: ○ Research institutions ○ Businesses ○ Industries ○ Government agencies ○ Academic settings

Additional Subfields  Community psychologist Strengthen communities/organizations Help provide access to resources Examples: ○ Improving support for hurricane victims ○ Neighborhood crime prevention ○ Bullying prevention in schools  Environmental psychologist Person-environment interactions Built environments, social settings, cultural groups, etc. Examples: ○ Effect of environmental stress on human effectiveness ○ Conservation behavior – helping people adjust to the environment in which they live  Forensic psychologist Apply psychological principles to legal issues Examples: ○ Custody of children ○ Defendant’s mental competence to stand trial ○ Research on jury behavior  Social psychologist Interactions shape person’s mental life and behavior – focus on individual and group influences ○ Seek to improve interactions Examples: ○ Work in academic settings – teaching and researching ○ Advertising agency – study consumer attitudes and preferences  Sports psychologist Focus on goals, motivation, dealing with failure/anxiety

Where Psychologists Work? 2009 Doctorate Employment Survey APA

Subfields in Psychology Other 15% Experimental 9% Social and personality 5% Developmental 5% I/O 5% School/Educational 6% Clinical and counseling 55%