Discover the Fascinating World of Psychology

Overview of Psychology: Fields of Study, Key Figures, Approaches, and Career Paths

• Psychology is the scientific study of mental processes, behavior, and the interactions between them and the environment.
• There are various types of psychology, including biological, cognitive, developmental, personality, clinical, community, education, social, and organizational psychology.
• Biological psychologists use high-tech scanning devices to study how biological processes in the brain affect and are affected by behavior and mental processes.
• Cognitive psychologists study mental abilities such as sensation and perception, learning and memory, thinking and consciousness, intelligence, and creativity.
• Developmental psychologists describe the changes in behavior and mental processes that occur from birth through old age and try to understand the causes and effects of those changes.
• Community psychologists aim to prevent psychological disorders by promoting people's resilience and other personal strengths.
• Personality psychologists study the unique features that characterize each of us.
• Clinical psychologists conduct or apply research on the causes and treatment of mental health issues and offer services to overcome these.
• Education psychologists conduct research and develop theories about teaching and learning and apply the results to improve teacher training, refine school curricula, reduce truancy rates, and help students learn more efficiently and remember what they learn.
• Organizational psychologists conduct research on leadership, stress, competition, pay rates, and other factors that affect the efficiency, productivity, and satisfaction of people in the workplace.
• Social psychologists study the way people socially interact with those around them, how they think about themselves and others, and how people influence one another.
• Key figures in psychology include Wilhelm Wundt (structuralism), Helmholtz/Gustav Fechner (sensation and perception concepts), Freud (psychoanalysis), William James (functionalism), and John B. Watson and Skinner (behaviorism).
• Approaches to psychology include biological, evolutionary, psychodynamic, behavioral, cognitive, and humanistic, and each has a different focus on the study of behavior and mental processes.