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Scope in the field of psychology

If you’re looking for a career in psychology, you’ll be happy to hear that there is a huge need for psychology professionals in America. The greatest demand for psychologist services are in hospitals, schools, mental health centers, social service agencies, private companies and substance abuse treatment clinics. Job options for social workers, counselors and psychologists are very promising since the agencies and institutions mentioned exist in every city in the nation. Following are some of the popular career opportunities in psychology:

Ø      Cognitive psychology

The branch of psychology that deals with the internal mental processes like perception, memory, language and learning and all about how people diagnose, understand, make decisions and solve problems is called cognitive psychology. Cognitive psychologists teach at colleges, work at government agencies, conduct research on human thought process, work with children to understand memory formation, study the human brain and memory in relation to computers, work with Alzheimer’s or memory-loss patients, work in the legal system and study the mental processes of criminals, juries, judges and witnesses, and also teach language skills and problem solving.

Ø      Behavioral psychology

This branch of psychology deems that behavior occurs during interactions with an individual’s environment and behavior is learned through conditioning during such interactions. Behavioral psychologists analyze the effects of decision-making processes due to human actions and presume that behavior can be analytically observed and studied since all behavior is learned. Behavioral psychologists teach at colleges, conduct research on conditioning and motivators to study human behavior, work in government agencies, law enforcement or correctional centers, and also practice privately offering counseling services to children and people suffering from mental health disorders.

Ø      Substance abuse counselors

This branch of psychology deals with  offering services to people with disorders because of use of alcohol and drugs. These counselors are professionals and counsel individuals to find ways and means to give up addiction and  lead a healthy lifestyle. Substance abuse counselors provide guidance and encouragement to individuals suffering from addiction, conduct counseling sessions for individuals and their families and follow up after treatment.

Ø      Developmental psychology

Developmental psychology deals with the study of physiological, cognitive and social development that takes place through all the stages of human life. They study both the environment influences and the biological aspects that shape each human being.  Developmental psychologists study the development of moral reasoning and ethics, research social patterns, personality development and behavior, evaluate individual problem solving patterns, study the acquirement of language skills and other patterns of communication, assess motor skills regression or progression and assess developmental disabilities.

Ø      Neuropsychology

The branch of psychology that deals with the relationship between behavior and psychological processes and brain function is neuropsychology. Neuropsychologists

work in hospitals and assess and treat victims of head injury, stroke and other neuropsychological problems, run neuropsychological tests, brain scans and electro physiological  procedures to monitor neurocognitive processes, carry out academic research on neurological disorders and consult on pharmaceutical drug related cases that might affect the nervous system.

Ø      Forensic psychology

Forensic psychology is the branch of psychology that deals with the application of psychology to the law and legal system. Forensic psychologists perform diagnostic and risk assessments to conclude whether a person is at risk for re-offending, provide evidence on criminal forensic issues which includes drug dependence, criminal responsibility or other psychological disorders, diagnose defendants before the trial and also conduct psychological assessments of defendants to establish trial competency. Law enforcement and criminal justice workers are trained to carefully  handle individuals with psychological problems. Forensic psychologists execute both clinical duties and forensic duties.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics the growth for psychologists is at 12 percent between 2008 and 2018.

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