Major Fields in Psychology

Psychology is both a theoretical and an applied science with over a dozen
major fields. In 2004, the American Psychological Association listed fifty-five
divisions, representing psychologists working in settings as diverse as community
mental health clinics and large corporations and with interests ranging
from the adult development and aging to the study of peace, conflict,
and violence. Academic and research psychologists use observational and
experimental methods to reach a greater understanding of the human
mind and human behavior. Psychologists in the clinical specialties then use
this knowledge to help people in their daily lives.
For example, children who are abused or neglected, or who suffer as a result
of being members of dysfunctional families, require the services of child
psychologists, who evaluate, diagnose, and treat youngsters. This usually occurs
in a clinical setting. Thus, child psychologist are considered clinical
practitioners. More than one-half of the Ph.D.’s awarded in 1999 were in either
clinical or counseling psychology.
Many psychologists also work in the area of education. Educational psychologists
develop and analyze materials and strategies for effective educational
curricula. School psychologists design instructive programs, consult
with teachers, and assist students with problems.
Genetic psychologists study the activities of the human organism in relation
to the hereditary and evolutionary factors involved; functions and origin
play a central role. Physiological psychologists examine the biological
bases of behavior. They are often interested in the biochemical reactions underlying
memory and learning. Engineering psychologists design and evaluate
equipment, training devices, and systems. The goal is to facilitate relationships
between people and their environment. Industrial/organizational
(I/O) psychologists research and develop programs that promote on-thejob
efficiency, effectiveness, challenge, and positive disposition. They study
ability and personality factors, special training and experience, and work
and environment variables as well as organizational changes.
Personality psychologists study the many ways in which people differ
from one another; they are instrumental in analyzing how those differences
may be assessed and what their impact is. Criminal psychologists study the
complexities of a perpetrator’s thought process. They are keenly interested
in a criminal’s habits, idiosyncrasies, and possible motives. Developmental
psychologists study changes in people as they age and mature. Their work
may be protracted over the span of an individual’s life; their theories may be
advanced several years after they were first conceived.
Social psychologists study how people influence one another. They may
be interested, for example, in the concept of leaders and followers. Environmental
psychologists monitor the physical and social effects of the environment
on behavior. They are interested in how elements such as heat, noise,
health, and activity affect the human condition. Their contributions are in
the areas of urban planning, architecture, and transportation.
Consumer psychologists determine factors that influence consumer decisions,
exploring such issues as the effect of advertising on purchasing decisions,
brand loyalty, and the rejection or acceptance of new products. Experimental
psychologists design and conduct basic and applied research in a
variety of areas, including learning, sensation, attention and memory, language,
motivation, and the physiological and neural bases of behavior. Comparative
psychologists study the behavior, cognition, perception, and social
relationships of diverse animal species. Their research can be descriptive as
well as experimental and is conducted in the field or with animals in captivity. 670