What comes to mind when you think of the job of a psychologist? When most people are asked this question, the first thing that comes to their mind is counseling and talk therapy with a client lying on a leather couch.
A Psychologist is a mental health professional who holds a Psychology degree. Professionals who use psychological knowledge and conduct research to study the mind, and behavior, treat mental illnesses or teach at educational institutions. These are just a few of the broad specializations of being a psychologist.
While there are numerous types of psychologists, they typically fall into one of three categories:
Applied psychologists: Psychological principles and research are used by applied psychologists to solve real-world problems. Aviation psychologists, engineering psychologists, industrial-organizational psychologists, and research psychologists are some examples.
Research psychologists: conduct studies and experiments with human or animal participants. Research psychologists frequently work for universities, private companies, or government agencies.
Mental health psychologists: work with people who are suffering from mental illnesses or psychological distress. They are frequently employed in hospitals, mental health clinics, schools, government offices, or private practices. Clinical and counseling psychologists, for example.
Let’s talk about a few types of psychologists you might have not heard that frequently:
Military Psychologist
Military psychology is used to counsel and treat military personnel or military families who are stressed or fatigued, as well as to treat psychological trauma caused by military operations. Mental health care is now an expected component of high-stress army environments. Military psychologists practice psychology in a military setting. This can include things like treating soldiers with mental illnesses or emotional distress, researching various aspects of military life, and supporting soldiers with their transition back to civilian life.
Aviation Psychologist
Aviation psychology, also known as aerospace psychology, is the study of behavior, emotions, actions, and other psychological aspects of people involved in the aviation field. An aviation psychologist can assist airlines in the design and planning of training programs to improve the performance of their employees. They also assist in hiring considering the highly specialized and delicate nature of the aviation job, it is critical to select candidates who are in good health, stable, and capable of dealing with high stress.
Community Psychologist
Community psychologist conducts research on community health and well-being issues. They also aim to educate the community and create prevention programs. These professionals are committed to facilitating positive change at both the individual and community levels. This type of research is typically very action-oriented and change-oriented, focusing on developing real-world solutions that can be implemented immediately. Community psychologists work as professors, consultants, policy advisors, program directors, and researchers in a variety of settings public or private settings.
Consumer Psychologist
Consumer psychology is the study of why people buy certain products and not others. How do media messages influence a shopper’s purchasing decisions? Consumer psychologists, also known as marketing psychologists, conduct research on consumer behavior and develop marketing strategies to promote businesses. They study how buyers react to marketing messages, evaluate decision-making strategies, and investigate the role of emotions in purchasing decisions.
Comparative Psychologist
The study of animals to gain knowledge about humans is known as comparative psychology. To gain an understanding of evolutionary relationships, comparative psychologists compare the similarities and differences between species. The information gained from studying rats, dogs, cats, and other animals can then be applied to human beings.
Comparative psychologists frequently study evolution, heritability, mating, adaptation, and learning. Some examples of comparative psychology include Thorndike’s work with cats, Pavlov’s work with dogs, and Skinner’s work with pigeons.
Cross-Cultural Psychologist
The study of how cultural factors influence human behavior is known as cross-cultural psychology. Researchers work hard to understand both the differences and similarities between people from different cultures around the world. Cross-cultural psychologists study how culture influences various aspects of human thought and behavior. Development, personality, parenting styles, collectivist culture, individualistic culture, and social relationships are frequently studied by cross-cultural psychologists.
Environmental Psychologist
Environmental psychologists study the relationship between people and their surroundings, including both natural and man-made environments. It aims to discover how and why our environment affects us, how we can use that knowledge to our advantage, and what we can do to improve our relationship with the world around us. Environmental psychologists can provide ideas and recommendations to people in government, private industry, hospitals, schools, and retail settings. However, they do not always work in offices, many work outside, at zoos, parks, or in the community.
Forensic Psychologist
The American Psychological Association (APA) provides a forensic psychology definition of “the application of clinical specialties to the legal arena.” Forensic psychologists work as investigators, conduct psychological research, and develop intervention strategies. Forensic psychologists offer professional expertise to the legal system in both civil and criminal cases. They frequently serve as advisors and expert witnesses during trials. They interact with lawyers, judges, crime victims, and criminal offenders. Forensic psychologists who work in research and academia collaborate with other psychologists, research assistants, and students.
Blog By : DEEBHA SITHTA
