For those of you who are still confused or unsure about the types of Psychology specializations or developing a career in this field, need to know that the career options are very wide and varied. For more details, here we are going to share the various types of psychology specializations.
- Forensic Psychologist
You may have watched the ‘Sherlock’ series or crime mystery movies, then that is what a forensic psychologist’s role is like, very similar to that of a detective. Generally, this type of psychologist specialization is closely related to law and criminology. The main study of forensic psychologists is to examine the relationship between psychology and the law. Thus, a forensic psychologist usually acts as a consultant in the criminal field, especially in conducting assessments of criminal suspects and becoming an expert witness in court.
- Aviation Psychologist
The main task of aviation psychologists is to assess the behavior of pilots and airline crew. Also, they conduct recruitment and selection as well as training just like industrial and organizational psychologists do, but specifically for airline crews. Aside from that, aviation psychologists also work with the engineers and other psychologists who specialize in technical fields to design aircraft components that are comfortable for the crew and safe for passenger safety.
- Biopsychologist
Biopsychology is a science which combines psychology with biology. Thus, biopsychologists or biological psychologists are scientists who study how the brain affects human thoughts, feelings, and behavior. Unlike other types of psychology specializations, they also analyze the effects of brain injuries on human behavior and develop treatments for mental disorders, trauma, and brain diseases using biological approaches.
- Clinical Psychologist
Clinical psychologists are psychological scientists or practitioners who focus on studying mental disorders and psychological illnesses, conducting therapy, and making treatment plans for clients. Usually, clinical psychologists are found in hospitals, health clinics, or psychology bureaus. Also, clinical psychologists have a variety of specializations or focuses, which include treating substance abuse patients, child mental health, adult mental health, and elderly mental health.
- Educational Psychologist
Educational psychologists have a broader scope of focus than counseling teachers, namely how social, cognitive, and emotional factors affect the teaching and learning process. Aside from that, educational psychologists also assess talent, intelligence, and identify factors that cause learning disorders in the students. They help the teachers develop syllabi and learning materials that maximize student learning outcomes.
- Technical Psychologist
Technical psychologists focus on finding ways to improve human capabilities by improving machines, equipment, technology, and work environments. Similar to the work of aviation psychologists who work with the engineers, technical psychologists focus on examining how technology can be used to make people’s lives easier, such as helping to design hospital devices or improving the usability of products we use on a daily basis.
- Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychologists
Industrial-organizational (I-O) psychologists are often called human resources or HR managers. That opinion is actually not wrong. However, an Industrial-organizational (I-O) psychologist’s job is not limited to human resource management, but also serves as a consultant on industrial and organizational issues. Thus, Industrial-organizational (I-O) psychologists must be sensitive to the latest trends and issues in the business world and have knowledge of industrial relations.
Some examples of Industrial-organizational (I-O) psychologists’ duties include studying employee behavior in the workplace, conducting assessments in employee recruitment and selection, proposing ways to improve worker productivity, and designing assessments to screen candidates for specific job roles. Aside from that, Industrial-organizational (I-O) psychologists are also tasked with conducting training and development to improve employee skills, competencies, and work efficiency.
- Developmental Psychologist
Developmental psychologists actively research human developmental tasks across the lifespan, from childhood, adolescence, adulthood, to the elderly. Simply, we are able to say that developmental psychologists are the people you need to consult when your kindergarten-aged sibling has a speech delay, or when an elderly family member is stressed out because they feel unproductive after retirement. Not only studied to expand knowledge in the field of development, developmental psychology is also frequently used by educational psychologists to understand child development problems, especially those related to the learning process at school.
- Cognitive Psychologist
Cognitive psychologists are a specialty of psychologists who study human cognitive processes, especially those related to thinking, decision-making and problem-solving. Usually, cognitive psychologists focus their research on how the brain learns, stores, recognizes and utilizes information.
- Counseling Psychologist
Apparently, counseling psychologists have similar duties to clinical psychologists. They are tasked with providing psychotherapy to people who are experiencing behavioral problems, emotional difficulties, stress, and other problems related to psychological disorders.
- Community Psychologist
Community psychologists usually conduct research on issues that develop in certain communities. The issues studied include individual to group problems. Therefore, it is not wrong that many community psychologists work with government and non-government organizations to educate certain communities and develop real-time solutions to solve problems in these communities.
- Consumer Psychologist
In fact, the science of psychology is also needed in the business world. A number of psychological scientists also choose the type of psychologist specialization in the field of research on consumer behavior and market tastes. This research will later be used as a guide in developing marketing strategies and product designs that attract the consumers.
- Comparative Psychologist
Comparative psychologists’ job is to study the differences between animal and human behavior. Although there are obviously major differences in the behavior of these two species, comparative psychologists have the assumption that some things may apply to all species. Therefore, studying the behavior and responses of animals such as dogs and rats can provide insights into human behavior as well.
- Cross-cultural Psychologists
Etymologically, cross-culture means cross-cultural. Cross-cultural psychologists look at how people vary across cultures and how cultural relationships influence behavior. Also, cross-cultural psychologists explore how different aspects of behavior can be universal or vary across different cultures.
- Environmental Psychologist
Environmental psychologists explore the relationship between humans and their environment, including the natural environment as well as the created environment. This may involve working on conservation projects, assisting to protect endangered species, and investigating ways to stop global warming. Usually, environmental psychologists work with governments to study the impact of humans on their environment, as well as helping to develop policies related to environmental conservation.
- Health Psychologist
Health psychologists center on how psychology, biology, social groups, and behaviors affect health, illness, and overall wellness. They work with clients to assist maximize well-being and improve mental and physical health. Thus, the duties of health psychologists involve providing psychotherapy, giving different psychological assessments, teaching people about different coping techniques, and educating clients about healthy living behaviors.
- Military Psychologist
Military psychologists practice psychology in a military setting. This includes things like dealing with the soldiers who have mental disorders or emotional distress, researching different aspects of military life, and helping the soldier’s transition back into everyday life as civilians. Several military psychologists focus on conducting psychotherapy within the various branches of the military, while other military psychologists apply their knowledge of the human mind and behavior to recruiting, combating stress, training, decision-making, and leadership.
- Personality Psychologist
Personality psychologists study the various aspects of personality and how an individual’s traits affect their daily life and behavior. The topics that personality psychologists often cover are how personality shapes people and whether personality can be changed. Also, personality psychologists may investigate whether certain personality traits are associated with certain diseases or disorders, how personality affects the decisions people make, and many factors that contribute to personality development.
- School Psychologist
Like educational psychologists who focus on the teaching and learning process in the schools, school psychologists work on a more minor scope, including helping the children overcome emotional, academic, social, and behavioral problems in the school environment. Also, school psychologists play an important role in the education system. Usually, they are going to work closely with the parents, teachers, students, and other school staff to make sure that the learning environment is supportive and safe.
- Social Psychologist
Social psychologists are tasked with studying group behavior, including how people behave in social settings and how groups influence individual behavior. Also, social psychologists investigate various topics related to social issues, including attitudes, prejudice, communication, and interpersonal relationships.
A bookworm and researcher especially related to law and citizenship education. I spend time every day in front of the internet and the campus library.
