Psychology: theoretical and applied disciplines.

• Psychology


  Encompasses both theoretical and applied disciplines
• Abnormal psychology


  • Delves into the study of abnormal behavior and psychopathology
  • Focuses on research and treatment of various mental disorders
  • Closely linked to psychotherapy and clinical psychology
• Biological psychology/Biopsychology


  • Explores how biological processes influence behavior and cognition
  • Utilizes tools such as MRI and PET scans to investigate brain injury or abnormalities
• Clinical psychology


  • The largest area of employment within psychology
  • Primarily concerned with the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders
• Sigmund Freud


  • Early influencer in the field of clinical psychology
  • Contributions to talk therapy
• Lightner Witmer


  • Early influencer in the field of clinical psychology
  • Introduction of the term "clinical psychology" in 1907
• Clinical psychologists


  1. Engage in assessment, using clinical and testing methods

  2. Engage in treatment, often through psychotherapy
• Cognitive psychology


  • Focuses on human thought processes and cognitions
  • Studies topics like attention, memory, decision-making, and language acquisition
• Comparative psychology


  • Dedicated to the study of animal behavior
  • Provides insights that contribute to a deeper understanding of human psychology
• Developmental psychology


  • Examines human growth and development over the lifespan
  • Addresses cognitive, social, and identity development, among other areas
• Forensic psychology


  • Applies psychological research and principles within the legal and criminal justice system
• Industrial-organizational psychology


  • Utilizes psychological research to enhance work performance and employee selection
• Personality psychology


  • Seeks to understand how personality develops and the unique patterns of thoughts, behaviors, and characteristics that define individuals
• Social psychology


  • Explores group behavior and the impact of social influences on individual behavior
  • Studies phenomena like attitudes, prejudice, conformity, and aggression
• Psychological methods


  Involve the use of objective scientific techniques, including experiments, correlational studies, and longitudinal studies
• Applications of psychology


  • Span various domains, including mental health and public policy
  • Psychological insights inform initiatives related to public health, education, and child development programs
• Medical psychology


  • Prioritizes the psychological aspects of the relationship between doctors, patients, and relevant individuals from the patient's closest environment
  • Objectives include protecting individuals from the negative consequences of medical technicalization and narrow specialization, utilizing psychological findings in prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation
• Key features of medical psychology

  • Authority, truthfulness, respect, and understanding of the patient's position