Branches of Psychology

Abnormal Psychology
Abnormal behavior is defined as behavior that is considered to be maladaptive or deviant by the social culture in
which it occurs. Though disagreement exists regarding which particular behaviors can be classified as abnormal,
psychologists have defined several criteria for purposes of classification. One is that the behavior occurs
infrequently and thus deviates from statistical norms. Another is
Applied Psychology
Applied psychology can be best understood by comparing it to the area of psychology known as basic psychology,
which is concerned with answering questions about behavior through psychological theory and research. Applied
psychology utilizes this knowledge to actively intervene in the treatment of individuals with mental or emotional
disorders, and is also employed in business, education, and gover
Counseling Psychology
While the counseling psychologist may diagnose, assess, and treat adjustment difficulties, they often address
problems which are more moderate than those encountered by the clinical psychologist. Clients of counseling
psychologists are people who need help coping with the stresses of everyday life, and the focus is on strengthening
their existing resources rather than overcoming disorders or defic
Cross-Cultural Psychology
Studies in this discipline attempt to expand the compass of psychological research beyond the few highly
industrialized nations on which it has traditionally focused. While definitions of what constitutes a culture vary
widely, most experts concur that "culture" involves patterns of behavior, symbols, and values. The prominent
anthropologist Clifford Geertz has described culture as &
Developmental Psychology
Developmental psychologists study how characteristics and behaviors first appear and how and when they change.
They study the relationships between different types of development, such as cognitive and social, as well as
individual variations in development, both normal and deviant. Initially, developmental psychology focused on
childhood but was subsequently expanded to cover changes that occur o
Differential Psychology
The earliest research in the field of differential psychology began in the late nineteenth century with Francis Galton's
investigation of the effects of heredity on individual intelligence and his pioneering work in intelligence testing,
which was further advanced by James McKeen Cattell and Alfred Binet. It was Binet who developed the first
standardized intelligence test. Growth in related
Educational Psychology
Educational psychology departments in many universities provide training to educators, school psychologists, and
other educational professionals. Applied research in this field focuses on how to improve teaching, solve learning
problems, and measure learning ability and progress. Other concerns of educational psychology include cognitive
development, the dynamics of pupil behavior, and the psychol
Ethology
The pioneering work of Konrad Lorenz and Niko Tinbergen in the 1930s established a theoretical foundation for
ethology, which has had an effect on such wide-ranging disciplines as genetics, anthropology, and political science
in addition to psychology. Ethologists believe that an animal must be studied on its own terms rather than primarily
in relation to human beings, with a focus on its normal b
Etiology - The change in theory
Psychological etiology refers to the scientific investigation into the origins of a disorder that cannot be explained
biologically. Etiology is complicated by the fact that most disorders have more than one cause. Early etiological
theories were the Freudian and post-Freudian psychoanalytic beliefs. Sigmund Freud attributed mental or neurotic
disorders to deep-seated or hidden psychic motivations.
Existential Psychology - History of the movement

Existential psychology is an approach to psychology and psychotherapy that is based on several premises, including:
understanding that a "whole" person is more than the sum of his or her parts; understanding people by examining
their interpersonal relationships, understanding that people have many levels of self-awareness that can be neither
ignored nor put into an abstract context,
Experimental Psychology
Experimental psychologists work to understand the underlying causes of behavior by studying humans and animals.
Animals are studied within and outside laboratory settings for a variety of reasons. A researcher may wish to learn
more about a particular species, to study how different species are interrelated, to investigate the evolutionary
significance of certain behaviors, or to learn more about
Forensic Psychology
Forensic psychologists often work within the judicial system in such diverse areas as determining an inmate's
readiness for parole; evaluation of rehabilitation programs; criminal competency; tort liability and damages;
eyewitness testimony and evidence; jury selection; and police training. Forensic psychology may also be employed
in other areas of jurisprudence, including patent and tradem
Gestalt Psychology
The Gestaltists were at odds with the popular school of psychology of the day, known as structuralism, whose
proponents believed that the mind consists of units or elements and could be understood by mapping and studying
them in combination. The Gestalt psychologists believed that mental experience was dependent not on a simple
combination of elements but on the organization and patterning of expe
Health Psychology
Health psychology is a diverse area with a variety of emphases. Medical psychology focuses on the clinical
treatment of patients with physical illnesses, offering practical advice people can use in order to improve their
health. While there is special emphasis on psychosomatic disordersthose that have traditionally been most closely
related to psychological factorsthe current trend
Humanistic Psychology - Theories and therapeutic applications, Research
Humanistic psychology evolved in the 1960s as a reaction to psychodynamic psychology and behaviorism.
Humanists objected to the pessimistic view of human nature advocated by psychodynamic psychologists who saw
the selfish pursuit of pleasure as the root of all human behavior. They also felt that the behaviorists' beliefs that all
human behavior is the product of environmental influences red
Industrial Psychology
Some industrial psychologists, also called personnel or organizational psychologists, may be employed by
companies to administer tests which measure employee aptitudes or skills in hiring and placement programs. Others
work for consulting firms which offer their services to companies on a contractual basis to solve specific problems.
The projects which they work on may include facilitating interpe
Media Psychology - What does psychology have to do with media?, Processing information
According to reports the average American household has the television on for about seven hours a day. It is also
reported that young people are increasingly turning to the Internet as a form of escape and information-gathering.
The movie industry spends billions of dollars on new films every year. Advertising currently has more outlets, like
television, billborads, magazines, radio, the Internet,
Metapsychology
Metapsychology describes the effort to construct or to postulate a systematic and comprehensive set of general
principles encompassing all of psychology, specifically including elements that are theoretical in addition to
elements that are considered to have been empirically demonstrated; also known as nomothetic psychology. In
classical Freudian psychoanalytical theory, the term metapsychology is
Occupational Therapist
Occupational therapists help persons with both physical and emotional problems as well as learning difficulties.
Although occupational therapy was initially associated with reintegrating veterans of First and Second World Wars
into the work force, the term "occupation" used in the context of this profession actually refers to any activity with
which persons occupy their time. Occupat

Parapsychology
The study of paranormal activities and phenomena has been riddled with controversy since its conception. It is
claimed that some people, utilizing senses beyond the ordinary, exhibit powers that cannot be explained by
traditional science. Skeptics of the paranormal point to the fact that in over a century since the first serious studies of
the paranormal began, usually dated to the opening of the
Philosophical Psychology
One of the central questions in philosophical psychology has been the relationship between the mind and body, a
perennial area of inquiry throughout the history of philosophy. Other topics considered in this discipline include
memory, perception, and consciousness; the nature of the self; the existence of free will; the relationship between
thought and emotion; and so-called irrational phenomena,
Physiological Psychology
The area of experimental known as physiological psychology has evolved in the 1990s. Increasingly, the field is
being referred to as behavioral neuroscience, replacing physiological psychology and biological psychology.
Nonetheless, the goals of psychologists in this field remain the same: to utilize basic research to explain behavior in
physiological terms, working on the assumption that for ever
Psychiatry/Psychiatrist
Psychiatrists treat patients privately and in hospital settings through a combination of psychotherapy and
medication. There are about 41,000 practicing psychiatrists in the United States. Their training consists of four years
of medical school, followed by one year of internship and at least three years of psychiatric residency. Psychiatrists
may receive certification from the American Board of P
Psychoanalysis - Psychoanalysis and the development of personality, Freud's critics
Developed in Vienna, Austria, by Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), psychoanalysis is based on an approach in which the
therapist helps the patient better understand him- or herself through examination of the deep personal feelings,
relationships, and events that have shaped motivations and behavior. Freud developed his theories during the end of
the 19th and the early part of the 20th centuries in Vienna
Psychology/Psychologist
As psychology has grown and changed throughout its history, it has been defined in numerous ways. As early as 400
B.C., the ancient Greeks philosophized about the relationship of personality characteristics to physiological traits.
Since then, philosophers have proposed theories to explain human behavior. In the late 1800s the emergence of
scientific method gave the study of psychology a new focus
Psychophysics - CONCEPTS IN PSYCHOPHYSICS
Psychophysics originated with the research of Gustav Fechner (1801-1887), who first studied the relationship
between incoming physical stimuli and the responses to them. Psychophysicists have generally used two approaches
in studying our sensitivity to stimuli around us: measuring the absolute threshold or discovering the difference
threshold. In studying the absolute threshold using the method of
Psychosurgery
Psychosurgery involves severing or otherwise disabling areas of the brain to treat a personality disorder, behavior
disorder or other mental illness. The most common form of psychosurgery is the lobotomy, where the nerves
connecting the frontal lobes of the brain and the thalamus or hypothalamus are severed. Performed first in the late
1930s, by the 1940s lobotomies were recommended for patients d
Psychotherapy - Psychodynamic approach, Behavioral techniques, Cognitive methods, Family and group
therapy
Psychoanalysis, the first modern form of psychotherapy, was called the "talking cure," and the many varieties of
therapy practiced today are still characterized by their common dependence on a verbal exchange between the
counselor or therapist and the person seeking help. The therapeutic interaction is characterized by mutual trust, with
the goal of helping individuals change destruc
School Psychology
Developed in 1896 at the University of Pennsylvania in a clinic that studied and treated children considered morally
or mentally defective, the field of school psychology today includes 30,000 psychologists, most of whom work in

educational systems throughout the United States. School psychologists, in various roles within the school systems
they serve, focus on the development and adjustment of t
Social Psychology
Social psychology is the study of human interaction, including communication, cooperation, competition,
leadership, and attitude development. Although the first textbooks on the subject of social psychology were
published in the early 1900s, much of the foundation for social psychology studied in the 1990s is based on the work
of the behavioral psychologists of the 1930s. Behavioral psychologists
Sociobiology
In his 1975 work, Sociobiology: The New Synthesis, entomologist Edward O. Wilson first coined the term
"sociobiology" to create a new field of study combining biology and social sciences, especially anthropology and
sociology. Sociobiologists study the biological nature of human behavior and personality according to the tenet that
all social behavior has a biological basis. The field
Sports Psychology
Sportswhich involve emotion, competition, cooperation, achievement, and playprovide a rich area for
psychological study. People involved in sports attempt to master very difficult skills, often subjecting themselves to
intense physical stress as well as social pressure. When psychologists began studying sports in the 1930s and 1940s,
they focused on motor performance and the acquis
Statistics in Psychology
Psychologists rely heavily on statistics to help assess the meaning of the measurements they make. Sometimes the
measurements involve individuals who complete psychological tests; at other times, the measurements involve
statistics that describe general properties of groups of people or animals. In psychological testing, the psychologist
may interpret test results in light of norms, or the typical

Branches of Psychology

1.

General Psychology explains the principles of behavior; how and why people behave.

2.
Comparative Psychology (Animal Psychology) studies the behavior and mental processes of
humans in comparison with that of animals on the basis of genetic and evolution.
3.
Developmental Psychology (Genetic Psychology) studies the various aspects of growth and
development from prenatal to old age.
4.
Child Psychology is a study of behavior from birth to early adolescence. Patterns of growth and
development and environmental influences on the child are considered.
5.
Adolescent Psychology a study of human behavior from puberty to later life. This involves the
physical and mental maturation of individuals as well as the emotional and social maturity.
6.

Senescent Psychology is the study of human behavior in old age.

7.
Consumer Psychology Studies motivation, perception and learning in order to understand buying
decisions of consumers. Mass media, advertising, surveys, market research and salesmanship are the
important areas in this field.
8.
Abnormal Psychology is concerned with the causes of personality disorders and deviant
behavior.
9.
Dynamic Psychology (Personality Psychology) emphasizes the internal drives and motives of
particular behavior.
10. Legal Psychology is the application of psychological principles in analyzing evidences and
examining witnesses in legal proceedings(Legal psychologists typically take basic social and cognitive
theories and principles and apply them to issues in the legal system such as eyewitness memory, jury
decision-making, investigations, and interviewing.)
11. Forensic Psychology involves work within the domain of legal, judicial, and correctional
institutions (example: Forensic Psychologist work with human problems, determine mental competence
of the accused, prepare psychological reports to help judges decide on a particular case.)
12. Business Psychology uses techniques of mass persuasion to gain more customers and improve
business transaction.
13.

Social Psychology explains the interaction of groups of persons with other groups.

14. Counseling Psychology focuses on the problems of adjustment to challenges that everyone faces
in life. Helps the individual in dealing with personal problems, career choice, adjustment, interpersonal
relations, parent-child relationship and other concerns.
15. Educational Psychology is the application of learning principles for effective instruction,
diagnosis and treatment of learning difficulties (workers in this area are researchers and theorists called
educational psychologists.)
16. School Psychology is devoted to the assessment and remedy of problems encountered in
education, including both learning disabilities and emotional problems. Practitioners in schools or schoolrelated settings are called school psychologists.
17. Clinical Psychology involves the diagnosis and evaluation of events that gave rise to behavior
disorders and other forms of maladjustments.

18. Industrial (organizational) Psychology is the application of psychological knowledge to the

problems of business and industry (Job Satisfaction and productivity).
19. Human Engineering Psychology is concerned with creating safer and more efficient equipments
so that workers will be able to perform their jobs with a minimum expenditure of time and effort.
20. Experimental Psychology is the scientific investigation of the different aspects of behavior,
sensation, perception, learning, emotion, motivation, and other psychological processes.
21. Differential Psychology studies differences and similarities among individuals, social groups and
races.
22. Physiological Psychology is a subdivision of behavioral neuroscience or biological psychology
that studies the neural mechanisms of perception and behavior through direct manipulation of the brains
of nonhuman animal subjects in controlled experiments.[1] Unlike other subdivisions within biological
psychology, the main focus of physiological psychological research is the development of theories that
explain brain-behavior relationships rather than the development of research that has translational value.
23. Ecological Psychology studies the effects of environmental conditions (pollution, overcrowding,
natural calamities, disease) on the behavior of people.
24.

Sport Psychology focuses on the social, mental and emotional problems of athletes.

25.

Mental Hygiene is the application of systematic practices for the preservation of mental health.

26. Biopsychology explores the relationship between fundamental biological processes and behavior.
The study is focused on the functions of the different internal organs of the body, especially the nervous
system and their bearing on behavior and mental processes. It is the application of the principles of
biology, in particular neurobiology, to the study of mental processes and behavior in human and nonhuman animals.
27. Cognitive Psychology is a discipline within psychology that investigates the internal mental
processes of thought such as visual processing, memory, problem solving, and language.
28. Health Psychology explores the relationship between physical and mental health, and especially,
the role of stress in health.
29. Engineering Psychology deals with the design of the equipment and the tasks of the individual
who operated them.
30. Media Psychology seeks an understanding of how people perceive, interpret, use, and respond to
a media-rich world. In doing so, media psychologists can identify potential benefits and problems and
promote the development positive media
31. Computer Psychology (cyberpsychology)- is the study of the human mind and behavior in the
context of human-technology interaction. However, mainstream research studies seem to focus on the
impact of the Internet and cyberspace on the psychology of individuals and groups. Some hot topics
include: online identity, online relationships, personality types in cyberspace, transference to computers,
addiction to computers and Internet, regressive behavior in cyberspace, online gender-switching, etc.
Study on individual differences in computer-related behavior and the psychology of technology-enriched
learning. Concerned with the psychological effects and implications of computer technologies such as the
Internet and virtual reality.
32. Psychometrics - The use of psychological tests to measure intelligence, abilities, attitudes, and
personality traits.