The Major Specialties in Psychology Discussion

The Major Specialties in Psychology Discussion

Question Description

Psychology has a long and rich history. While many people think of therapists when they hear the word “psychology,” this discipline is about much more than a therapist working with a client to overcome mental or emotional struggles.

Today, psychologists can work in a variety of settings with a wide range of clients. They might work in business or industry as an industrial-organizational psychologist. They might spend time researching the behavior of animals and use that research in comparative studies to understand human behavior better. They might also work for law enforcement agencies as forensic psychologists.
Even psychologists that work in the clinical realm vary widely in their approaches to helping their clients. Some might espouse Freud’s psychoanalytic approach. Others might use cognitive-behavioral techniques. Still others might prefer Gestalt therapy for assisting their clients.

To help paint a picture of how diverse the field of psychology truly is, let’s review some common and uncommon specialties.

Social Psychology
Social Psychology Social psychology is the scientific study of the interaction between individuals and society. More specifically, social psychologists try to explain how individuals’ feelings, behaviors, and thoughts are influenced by other people.

But it isn’t just real interactions that social psychologists are interested in. Rather, how we think, feel, and behave can be strongly influenced by our perceptions of what others are doing or saying.

For example, if you’ve been told by a co-worker that you’re too loud, you might withdraw at work and become much more subdued. But if you think that a co-worker thinks that you’re too loud (e.g., you’ve seen them rolling their eyes when you speak), you may withdraw and become much more subdued. So, the end result can be the same whether other people actually think you’re too loud or whether you simply assume they think you’re too loud.

Social psychology is a much broader field, though, and this is not the only kind of behavior that social psychologists seek to answer.

For example, social psychologists also study the concepts of leadership, such as what makes some people prone to becoming highly effective leaders, and by contrast, what makes someone less likely to be a good leader. They also study the concepts of prejudice and racism, aggression and conformity, and even nonverbal behaviors.

For example, forensic psychologists are often employed by prosecuting attorneys and defense attorneys to assist in jury selections. Likewise, forensic psychologists often provide emergency clinical psychology services to victims of crimes. Most often, though, forensic psychologists are responsible for conducting psychological assessments, usually of people that have been accused of a crime.

Because of the heavy emphasis on conducting psychological evaluations, one of the most important skills for a forensic psychologist to have is solid clinical psychology skills. They must be empathic and understanding, have a good understanding of therapeutic treatments, understand how to encourage people to open up, and be able to employ strategies for building trust and rapport with a wide range of people.

Another common task of forensic psychologists is to serve as expert witnesses in criminal trials. Unlike conducting psychological assessments, serving as an expert witness requires less clinical skill and more raw understanding of psychological concepts and their application to legal matters.

For example, to be a good expert witness, one must be competent in psychology, have excellent communication skills, have a good understanding of relevant legal doctrines, and must also be able to work well under pressure.

Industrial-Organizational Psychology
Industrial-organizational (IO) psychology is concerned with the relationships between people and their workplaces, and between people within the workplace. As such, IO psychologists must have a good grasp of the intricacies of individual and group behavior as well as organizational behavior, and how all three can contribute to problems at work.

Psychologists in this specialty have many options for employment, from working for one specific organization to running a freelance practice to helping multiple organizations with specific projects. As such, it is an excellent option for people that have an interest in psychology and want a wide range of career possibilities.

Regardless of where they work, IO psychologists undertake some tasks that are common to most work situations. For example, they are often responsible for the design and implementation of occupational training for employees. They typically work with recruiters to find well-qualified job applicants for businesses and organizations as well. IO psychologists commonly facilitate professional mediations, too, during which they attempt to bring two opposing sides together to find common ground.

IO psychology also concerns the creation of workspaces that promote improved mental health. For example, an IO psychologist might be contracted by a business to develop a wellness program for employees. By implementing a work-based program that focuses on mental and physical health, the employees will feel better, will be less stressed, and as a result, are more likely to enjoy their work and be more productive. The obvious benefit to employers is that happier employees stay around longer, thus reducing the need to find and train new employees. Improved production obviously has its benefits for the company’s bottom line as well.

But IO psychology has other areas of focus. Some workers in this field are involved in coaching new employees or even seasoned employees. IO psychologists might help companies revise policies, such as disciplinary procedures, to make them more effective at encouraging positive workplace behaviors. Some IO psychologists even work on the customer side of business and provide recommendations for marketing strategies that are more effective at reaching a business’ target audience.