Areas of Psychology

According to American psychological association there are about 54 areas of psychology in

which psychologists are offering their services. For the sake of convenience, they can be
categorized into the following two main types:
1. Basic Psychology
2. Applied psychology
Basic Areas of Psychology
The basic fields in psychology are primarily concerned with identifying the causes of behavior.
Psychologists who work in these fields try to understand and describe the determinants of
behavior. The following are the basic fields:
Biopsychology
Biopsychology studies the biological bases of behavior. The intimate relationship between
psychology and the biological sciences is quite obvious. All behavior occurs through bodily
processes. The brain plays a very important role in coordinating and organizing the functions of
the different organs of the body. In fact, it is the seat of all forms of complex behavior. It is
impossible to understand and explain behavior without an understanding of the structure and
functioning of the brain.
Along with the brain, the entire nervous system plays a crucial role in behavior. Hence, there is
an intimate relationship between psychology and neurology, neurophysiology, neurochemistry
and other branches of knowledge which are directly involved with the study of the nervous
system, particularly the brain. Genetics, the branch of the biology which deals with the
nature of inheritance of different qualities is also an important discipline from the point of view
of psychology.
Over the years, geneticists have carried out important researches, bringing out the role of
heredity in determining behavior.
This has been particularly so in the case of abnormal behavior like neurosis, mental retardation,
psychosis etc. Studies on the role of heredity have also indicated the importance of the genes in
determining the intelligence level.
In recent years, the role of chemical factors especially the hormones, secreted by endocrine
glands has been shown to play an important role in behavior. Emotional behavior, temperament
etc. are to a considerable extent, influenced by the hormones of the endocrine glands.
Cognitive Psychology
Cognitive psychology studies human information processing abilities. Psychologists in this field
study all aspects of cognition such as memory, thinking, problem-solving, decision making,
language, reasoning and so on.
Cognitive psychologists, sometimes called brain scientists, study how the human brain works —
how we think, remember and learn. They apply psychological science to understand how we
perceive events and make decisions.
cognitive psychology is one of the most versatile psychological specialty areas today — and one
of the most in demand. All professions have a compelling interest in how the brain works.
Educators, curriculum designers, engineers, scientists, judges, public health and safety officials,
architects and graphic designers all want to know more about how the brain processes
information. Their research and its resulting applications have become an integral part of how
organizations, schools and business’s function and succeed. In clinical settings, cognitive
psychologists seek to treat issues related to human mental processes, including Alzheimer’s
disease, speech issues, memory loss and sensory or perception difficulties.
Experimental Psychology
Experimental psychology investigates all aspects of psychological processes like perception,
learning, and motivation. The major research method used by these psychologists includes
controlled experiments. But, as Morgan et al. (1986) put it, the experimental method is also used
by psychologists other than experimental psychologists. For instance, social psychologists may
do experiments to determine the effects of various group pressures and influences on a person’s
behavior.
So, in spite of its name, it is not the method that distinguishes experimental psychology from
other sub-fields. Instead, experimental psychology is distinguished by what it studies—the
fundamental processes of learning, and memory, thinking, sensation and perception, motivation,
emotion, and the physiological or biological bases of behavior.
Personality Psychology
Personality psychology studies personality traits and dynamics. These psychologists develop
theories of personality and tests for assessing personality traits. They also identify the causes of
problems related to personality development.
Gender Psychology
Gender psychology is a fascinating subfield of psychology that examines the role of gender in
shaping individuals’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It encompasses a wide range of topics,
from the development of gender identity to the impact of gender stereotypes on mental health.
One of the primary areas of study within gender psychology is gender identity. This refers to an
individual’s subjective experience of their gender, which may or may not align with their
biological sex. Research has shown that gender identity can develop as early as age two and is
influenced by a variety of factors, including socialization, culture, and biology.
Another important topic within gender psychology is gender stereotypes. These are beliefs and
expectations about what is appropriate or typical behavior for men and women. While some
gender stereotypes may have a basis in reality, others are harmful and can contribute to gender-
based discrimination and inequality. For example, the stereotype that women are emotional and
irrational can lead to women being dismissed or disregarded in professional settings.
Gender psychology also explores the impact of gender on mental health. Research has shown
that gender can influence the prevalence and presentation of certain mental health disorders, such
as depression and anxiety. Additionally, societal expectations and gender roles can create unique
stressors for individuals that may contribute to mental health problems.
Understanding gender psychology is crucial for promoting gender equality and improving mental
health outcomes for individuals of all genders. By examining the ways in which gender
influences our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, researchers can develop more effective
interventions and treatments for mental health disorders. Additionally, addressing harmful gender
stereotypes and promoting gender inclusivity can help create a more just and equitable society
for everyone.
Applied Areas of Psychology
Social Psychology
Social psychology investigates human social behavior, including attitudes, conformity,
persuasion, prejudice, friendship, aggression, helping and so forth. Emphasizes all aspects of
social behavior such as how we think about and interact with others, how we influence and are
influenced by others. For example, social psychologists study how we perceive others and how
those perceptions affect our attitude and behavior towards them.
This field has developed by the joint contribution of sociologies and social psychologists and
their research interest overlap. However, their focus differs in the sense that while the former is
concerned primarily with social institutions, the later focus typically upon the individual.
The social psychologists who are working on the applied side of this field, have developed and
standardized techniques to measure attitudes and opinions. Their survey research on political
opinion, consumer attitudes and attitudes related to important social issues provide important
information to politicians, business executives, and community leaders who benefit from these
while making decisions.
Clinical Psychology
Clinical psychology does psychotherapy; investigates clinical problems; develops methods of
treatment. This field emphasizes the diagnosis, causes, and treatment of severe psychological
disorders and emotional troubles.
Confusion between the fields of clinical psychology and psychiatry occurs because both clinical
psychologists and psychiatrists provide psychotherapy. And both usually work together in many
hospitals/clinics. That is why many people get confused regarding the difference between the
two. Well, they belong to two different groups of professionals and differ in their educational
background as well as ways of diagnosis and treatment.
Psychiatrists are physicians. After completing medical studies, they do Doctor of Medicine
(M.D.) in psychiatry and specialize in the treatment of mental disorders, whereas, clinical
psychologists hold a master’s degree M.A/M.Sc. and/ or a doctorate degree (Doctor of
Philosophy [PhD] or Doctor of Psychology [Psy.D]) in clinical psychology.
Because of this difference in training, clinical psychologists who do not have medical training,
cannot prescribe drugs to treat behavior disorders. Also, whenever there is a possibility of a
medical disorder, a patient should be examined by a psychiatrist or other physician. Moreover,
mostly, only a psychiatrist can refer a patient to a hospital for treatment and care. Clinical
psychologists carry out research to find out better ways of diagnosing, treating, and preventing
psychological disorders. They also rely heavily on standardized tests for identifying the causes of
these disorders. They use psychotherapy, for which they are trained, for the treatment of mental
disorders. But clinical psychologists are not authorized to prescribe drugs to treat behavior
disorders, as they do not have medical training. Also, they cannot refer a patient to a hospital, for
care and treatment. Whenever there is a possibility of a medical disorder, a patient should be
examined by a psychiatrist or other physician.
Community Psychology
Community psychology promotes community-wide mental health through research, prevention,
education, and consultation. Community psychologists apply psychological principles, ideas, and
points of view to help solve social problems and to help individuals in adapting to their work and
living groups.
Some community psychologists are essentially clinical psychologists and they specially organize
programmed to reach those people in the community, who have behavioral problems or who are
likely to have such problems. These psychologists not only deal with the mental health problems
of community members but also attempt to promote their mental health.
Consumer Psychology
Consumer psychology aims to pinpoint exactly why people make the decisions they do. As a
field of a study, it is driven by the realization that if businesses can understand the psychological
factors of consumer behavior and why people make decisions, they can use this knowledge to
hone their products and marketing strategies. In turn this means they can increase their attractive
to their potential customers or target audience.

Consumer psychology involves finding answers to a wide range of questions, including:

How do consumers select between competing brands, and what makes them choose a particular
option?
How are consumers influenced by factors in their environment, including media and culture?
How do consumers behave when shopping on the high street?
What factors make a consumer switch brand?
The answers to these questions, and many more, help businesses make changes to their products
and marketing strategies so that they become more attractive to consumers. For example, if a
supermarket discovers through research that customers associate ‘freshness’ with positivity, they
may pump the smell of freshly-baked bread through the store in order to entice customers in and
encourage them to make purchases.
Educational Psychology
Educational psychology investigates classroom dynamics, teaching styles, and learning; develops
educational tests, evaluates educational programs. Investigates all aspects of the educational
process ranging from curriculum design to techniques of instruction to learning disabilities. This
branch deals with the broader problem of increasing the efficiency of learning in school by
applying psychological knowledge about/of learning and motivation to the curriculum. Another
specialized sub-field called School Psychology may be included in educational psychology.
Forensic Psychology
Forensic psychology investigates problems of crime and crime prevention, rehabilitation
programs, prisons, courtroom dynamics; selects candidates for police work. Forensic
psychologists mostly work within the judicial system in such areas as assessing the emotional
and psychological state of undertrials and victims, evaluation of rehabilitation programmed;
eyewitness testimony and evidence; jury selection; and police training etc.
Industrial/Organizational Psychology
It investigates all aspects of behavior in a work setting ranging from selection and recruitment of
employees, performance appraisal, work motivation to leadership. The first application of
psychology to the problems of industries and organizations were the selection and recruitment of
employees by using intelligence, aptitude tests.
Nowadays, a number of companies are using modern versions of such tests in their programmed
for hiring and selection of employees. Specialists in this field also apply psychology to problems
related to management and employee training,
leadership and supervision, communication, motivation, inter-and intra-group conflict within the
organization. They organize on-the-job training programmed for improving work environments
and human relations in organizations and work settings. These psychologists are sometimes
called personnel psychologists.
Sports Psychology
In this field psychological principles are applied to improves sport performances. Sport
psychology is a relatively new field, but it is rapidly gaining acceptance. At the 2000 Olympic,
more than twenty sports psychologists worked with American athlete and coaches.

Both Basic and Applied Areas of Psychology

There are some fields which are categorized under both basic and applied fields. These are
described below.
Developmental Psychology
It conducts research on infant, child, adolescent, and adult development; does clinical work with
disturbed children; acts as a consultant to parents and schools. Emphasizes how people change
physically, cognitively and socially over the entire life span. Developmental psychologists try to
understand complex behaviors by studying their beginnings and the orderly ways in which they
change with time. If we can trace the origin and developmental sequence of a certain behavior,
we will have a better understanding of it. Child psychology, the study of children’s behavior,
consists of a large part of developmental psychology because changes in behavior occur in an
accelerated manner. But developmental changes also occur in adolescence, adulthood, and old
age; and so, the study of these changes is also a part of developmental psychology.
Developmental psychology has both research and applied aspects. For instance, a great deal of
research has been done on the development of thinking in children. Progressive and systematic
changes take place in their thinking during the first few years of life. On the applied side,
developmental psychologists are often concerned with children who have behavior problems or
psychological disorders. The kinds of behaviors found in disturbed children are frequently quite
different from the behaviors found in disturbed adults, and different methods are used to treat
them.
Environmental Psychology
Environmental psychology studies the effects of urban noise, crowding, attitudes toward the
environment, and human use of space. These psychologists act as consultants on environmental
issues.
Positive psychology
This is an emerging field of the 21st century. This field is defined as the science of happiness and
human strengths. Psychologists working in this field are concerned with the positive aspects of
human nature such as hope, optimism, passion, love, gratitude, forgiveness, humility etc. They
try to find out what makes a good life. The work of these psychologists overlaps with that of
humanistic psychologists who have similar viewpoints.