Psychology Subfields

1. Psychology Subfields Applied Psychology Laboratory East Tennessee State University

2. Biopsychology • aka Behavioral Neuroscience • Study of the biological structures that contribute to behavior, often focusing on the role of the brain and nervous system

3. Brain Function & Injury Blood-brain barrier Pheromones Brain plasticity, language processing, & reading Addiction’s path Nicotine & the brain The mind-body link Effects of testosterone & estrogen on the brain Cell suicide Topics in Bio/Neuro Psych

4. Clinical Psychology • Area of psychology concerned with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of psychological disorders and disturbances

5. Mental health disorders & conditions Addiction Depression psychotherapy Down syndrome Mental retardation ADD/ADHD Eating disorders Alcohol/Drug addiction Topics in Clinical Psych

6. Cognitive Psychology • Study of how learning occurs and information stored in memory is utilized

7. Attention Memory & amnesia Artificial intelligence Culture & cognition Cognitive basis of gender stereotypes Cognitive inhibition Language Consciousness Motivational factors in routine performance Subliminal perception Topics in Cognitive Psych

8. Community Psychology • The application of psychology to the study of social organizations such as neighborhoods, and the development of methods for evaluating and initiating changes in social policy

9. Individual & community mental/physical health Collective social action Self & mutual help Evaluating interventions Social welfare & social injustice Prevention of problems in living Empowerment of marginal groups Topics in Community Psych

10. Counseling Psychology • Area of psychology that maintains an emphasis on the positive aspects of human development and are focused on exploring and facilitating the strengths and assets of individuals, groups, and organizational units • Emphasizes the development of self-direction, life-stage coping skills, and educational strategies for change

11. Coping with personal, school, & community crises Role of feelings & emotional states in the learning process Consulting with parents & teachers Perfectionism Development & implementation of educational strategies Enhancement of self-awareness, & social & interpersonal skills in students Topics in Counseling Psych

12. Developmental Psychology • Study of the growth, development, and changes that occur throughout the life cycle • Child Development focuses on changes and development that occurs during infancy, and childhood, often extending into adolescence • Adult Development focuses on the changes and development that occur during adulthood

13. Attachment Language acquisition Gender role socialization Social & cognitive development Aging Crisis during late life Adult sexuality & gender Adult development & life span issues Topics in Developmental Psych

14. Environmental Psychology • Study of how changes in physical space & related physical stimuli can affect behavior of individuals; relationships between humans & the physical environment • Environmental perception, effects of the environment on behavior & experiences, effects of behavior on the environment

15. The sense of place Integration of ecological issues & principles into psychotherapy Wilderness-based rites of passage & renewal Ecotherapy Environmental awareness Environmental sustainability Nature & mental health Topics in Environmental Psych

16. Experimental Psychology • A broad area concerned with a variety of basic topics, including cognition, memory, learning, and language in humans or animals • Most experimental psychologists are in academia and work in a variety of areas during their career

17. Forensic Psychology • Branch of psychology that studies possible relationships between psychopathology and criminal behavior • Sometimes work within court systems and conduct psychological evaluations on individuals accused of committing a crime, particularly juveniles

18. Eyewitness testimony Offender profiling Stalking Media & crime Munchausen syndrome by proxy Forensic parapsychology Psychopathy Topics in Forensic Psych

19. Health Psychology • Study of the effects of psychological matters on physical well being • Often focus on developing programs to help individuals break physically unhealthy habits, or to reduce the likelihood of participation in such an activity

20. Perceptions of risk Illusions, errors, & biases in judgments about health & risk Personality factors in health Health promotion & intervention Effects of disclosure & repression on health Conceptualizing behavior change Evaluating theories of health behavior Stress & coping Topics in Health Psych

21. I/O Psychology • Study of the behavior and mental processes than take place in organizational settings (typically work situations), and the human factors that influence the work environment

22. Sexual harassment Successful employment of workers with disabilities Workplace culture Workplace aggression Leadership behaviors of management Personality traits in the hiring process Selection of law enforcement officers absenteeism Topics in I/O Psych

23. Personality Psychology • Attempts to identify the factors that cause one person to think, feel, and behave differently from another person within a given situation • The study of how people differ

24. Attitude formation Psychology of persons Competence motivation Aggression Person-environment interaction Individualism & collectivism Self-other dependence Role of emotion in adaptation Personality continuity & change over lifetime Topics in Personality Psych

25. Positive Psychology • Study of the conditions & processes that contribute to the flourishing or optimal functioning of people, groups, & institutions • Attempts to help people learn to live lives filled with greater health & well-being as well as the absence of illness & disease • Recognizes an imbalance in clinical psychology, where research focuses on mental illness

26. Healthy mindedness Optimism training Learned helplessness Attribution style of children & adults Intrinsic motivation Resilience in adults & children Positive human characteristics Love, optimism, & emotional intelligence Topics in Positive Psych

27. Psychometric Psychology • aka Quantitative Methods, Measurement • Study of the development of methods and research designs used to measure behavior • Requires a strong background in statistics and a general knowledge of matters related to testing personality and intelligence

28. Psychological testing & assessment Survey design & adaptation Numerical analysis, probability theory, & mathematical statistics Intelligence testing Self-discrepancy & trait personality Development of research design & implementation of measures & statistics Topics in Psychometric Psych

29. School/Educational Psychology • Study of learning, & the conditions under which it happens best • School psychologists focus more on creating environments that support learning • Educational psychologists work to understand how humans learn, & then to develop methods & materials to make learning happen

30. Effective interventions in educational settings School violence Evaluation of education & educational policy School discipline Academic progress screening Use of digital tools to enhance education & teacher resources Topics in School/Ed Psych

31. Social Psychology • Study of how our attitudes, beliefs, social perceptions, culture, cognitions, and relationships effect, and are effected by, our behavior and the behavior of others

32. Prejudice, Diversity Self & Social Identity Group Behavior Conflict Resolution Interpersonal Relations Gender Social Influence Prosocial Behavior Topics in Social Psych