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Article by Natasha Bright

The science field offers so many challenging and rewarding areas to choose a career; the field of psychology is no exception. The scope of psychology is comprised of fields that are as diverse in specialization as they are in psychological processes. The Intro to Psychology course can cover some of the sub-fields and areas within the broad field. This article will touch upon a few of the more popular areas.

Clinical psychology is the oldest branch of psychology, and probably the most familiar area of study. This branch is concerned with the study, diagnosis, and treatment of abnormal behavior. Clinical psychologists diagnose and treat patients who may suffer from problems ranging from grief to losing touch with reality. Clinical psychology can also involve conducting research regarding relationship issues or a wide-variety of mental health disorders.

Industrial-organizational psychology studies psychology in action at the workplace. Also known as “I-O,” this specialized area of study endeavors to improve an organization’s success by enhancing performance and promoting the well being of its people. I-O psychologists study a company’s job satisfaction, decision-making, and productivity. They conduct research to identify means to enhance and improve behavior by implementing best practices in hiring, training, and feedback systems. I-O psychology is used in for-profit businesses, non-profits, government agencies, universities, and professional school programs.

The relationship between psychological factors (like stress) and disease or physical ailments falls under the health psychology branch. Health psychologists study psychological, environmental, cultural, and biological factors and how these elements affect physical health. Consequently, they work toward implementing strategies that educate behaviors that contribute to wellness and good health as well as educate the population about destructive activities like drinking, smoking, and poor diet.

Psychology majors, who have a penchant for studying the relationship between humans and their physical environments, might look forward to a career in environmental psychology. This area concentrates on broad environments such as informational, learning, social, and natural and how these physical environments affect the way we behave towards others, respond with our emotions, and experience life in a particular setting.

Sports enthusiasts, who are also psychology professionals, may find a rewarding career in the branch of sports psychology. This discipline studies the psychological variables that have an impact upon an athlete’s performance, for instance how morale can be boosted to enhance performance. Sports psychologists endeavors to comprehend how mental factors and poor sports performance correlate, in the hopes of identifying ways to increase performance by managing emotions and minimizing psychological effects of poor performance.

Forensic psychology involves the investigation of legal issues and the psychological variable involved in criminal behavior. These experts study factors such as criminal tendencies, criteria for legal insanity, and criminal reform. Forensic psychologists are an integral part of the criminal judicial system. As such, they interact with judges, attorneys, and other legal professionals, as well as testify in court, translating psychological findings into legal language that can be understood by legal personnel and juries.