Types of Psychology – Definition and Examples

Psychology is defined as a scientific discipline that studies the mental processes and behaviors of the subjects, primarily human beings. The commonest duties of psychologists are researching human behavior and providing therapy but they might differ in terms of the approach they take to get to a solution to their patient’s problem/s. This depends on the types of Psychology being used and that is what we would deal with in this article. Some kinds of Psychology focus on social relationships while others emphasize the effect that the developmental years of a patient have had on their psyche. You must learn about the various frameworks so you can select the appropriate career.

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1. Behavioral Neuroscience

Now that you know what is Psychology, it is time you learn about its various categories and the first of them is Behavioral Neuroscience. It is also referred to as Biopsychology, Psychobiology, and Biological Psychology. It studies all the biological factors that might affect the human brain and its behavior. Biopsychologists study individuals and research to find out if the feelings, thoughts, and actions of an individual are indeed affected by biological factors or not. This field of Psychology also looks into how behavior is affected by diseases and brain injuries.
 

With the information that they get from their research, they work on finding out ways in which they can prevent brain trauma and treat it as well.

Also read:- The Importance of Psychology in Today's World
 

2. Behavioral Psychology 

Behavioral Psychology represents an important scope of Psychology as well. It aims to understand the most basic human actions. Behavioral psychologists research to comprehend the driving factors behind human behavior and how behavior is connected to the mind. Such a form of Psychology could also deal with improving negative behavior like addictions. These professionals often work in clinical settings such as private practices and hospitals along with universities.
 

3. Clinical Psychology

This is a key form of Psychology studies these days as well. It is also referred to as Abnormal Psychology or Psychopathology, and can be defined as the treatment and study of serious mental illnesses and abnormal behavior. Clinical Psychologists specialize in providing therapy and creating treatment plans for their patients. Practitioners who work in this discipline work in various settings including hospitals, private practices, and mental health clinics. At times, they might focus on specific demographics like senior citizens and armed forces veterans. They might also deal with people who have certain types of mental illnesses like ones that happen because of substance abuse.

This could involve using Psychology to treat difficult human issues and might include cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, and psycho academic approaches as well.
 

4. Cognitive Psychology

Cognitive Psychology is also one of the most prominent fields of Psychology. It focuses on understanding how individuals think including the way they perceive the environment around them, use language, form memories, solve problems, and recall information. The discipline might also investigate the way decisions are made by people and how problems are solved by them. However, the practitioners might also research other topics such as language development, perception, and memory. Cognitive psychologists also research learning disabilities and might support patients in their educational efforts.
 

5. Community Psychology

Community psychology is considered by many to be one of the most important psychology categories. Its practitioners research health issues to educate society and create programs that help with the prevention of far-reaching issues from happening. For example, they might find solutions to political disputes or environmental issues. Such psychologists usually work in schools, charities, community organizations, and government agencies. The main focus of this particular branch of Psychology is to improve communities as well as the people who live in them.
 

6. Comparative Psychology

Comparative Psychology looks at the differences and similarities between human behavior and animal behavior. Professionals working in this domain might observe the way animals respond and behave with specific stimuli or situations, and use those results to gain a better understanding of human behavior. This discipline is founded on the principle that all species observe the same laws of behavior.

Final Thoughts

Given the fact that lives are becoming more complex and, thus, problematic these days there is ample scope for you to make a living as a psychologist or in any other profession connected to the human mind. However, for this, you must have a proper education. These days, you can get such education right in the comfort of your home as well thanks to the top online universities in India such as Amity Online that offer exceptional programs like Online MA (Master of Arts) in Psychology.

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