Areas of Specialisation in Psychology – Task 2010-2015

Sooner or later, no matter what kind of psychologist you are, you'll find out what a great contribution we rats have made to this discipline. And what thanks do we get? Pfui, just more mazes and other weird experiences.
Sooner or later, no matter what kind of psychology student you are, you’ll find out what a great contribution we rats have made to this discipline. And what thanks do we get? Pfui, just more mazes and other weird experiences.

Use the details and links below to discover details of the kind of work done by a psychologist in ONE of the following fields:

  • Clinical psychology
  • Counselling psychology
  • Educational and developmental psychology
  • Forensic psychology
  • Health psychology
  • Organisational psychology
  • Sport psychology
  • Biological psychology
  • Cognitive psychology
  • Social psychology
  • Research psychology
  • Neuropsychology

Links that might aid you in your research:

General overview: http://www.psychology.org.au/studentHQ/careers-in-psychology/

Areas of specialisation: http://www.psychology.org.au/studentHQ/careers-in-psychology/

and http://psychology.about.com/od/careersinpsychology/a/specialties.htm

Clinical psychology: https://www.psychology.org.au/community/specialist/clinical/

Cognitive psychology: http://www.simplypsychology.org/cognitive.html 

Health psychology: http://www.groups.psychology.org.au/chp/

Forensic psychology: http://www.psychology.org.au/community/specialist/forensic/

and http://www.ihecrim.fr/docs/fiches/Psychologie%20et%20Sciences%20Forensiques/Carrieres%20en%20Forensic%20Psychology.htm

Biological psychology: http://www.simplypsychology.org/biological-psychology.html

Sport psychology:

http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/sssm/psychology/careers/career_paths_in_sport_psychology

Task:

  • Write a brief description of the meaning of the field you have chosen.
  • Describe the kind of work done by a psychologist in this field, outlining up to five tasks that he/she might regularly be called upon to do.
  • Explain why this area of psychology interests you or why you chose it for your research.
  • Put your carefully written paragraph into a properly edited comment at the bottom of this page, so that other students can read your work.
  • You should also list any websites that you found helpful in your research.
  • Do not copy and paste from other websites.
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65 Replies to “Areas of Specialisation in Psychology – Task 2010-2015”

  1. Forensic Psychology is the intersection between psychology and the justice system.
    A forensic psychologist will generally work with patients (the victim as well as the accused) to determine whether they are fit to plead in court. This includes the following elements:

    •Assessment of mental state for insanity plea (in some cases, the accused may attempt to use insanity as an excuse to nullify the charges)
    •Competence to stand trial
    •Prediction of violence and assessment of risk
    •Evaluation of child custody in divorce
    •Assessment of personal injury
    •Interpretation of polygraph data (the subject may be tested through the use of a polygraph machine, to deduce the accuracy of their plea)
    •Specialized forensic personality assessment
    •Evaluation of possible malingering

    Jared and I chose forensic psychology because we both have an interest in twisted psychological thrillers, and a connection can be made between these two subjects, albeit a small one.

  2. Sports Psychology
    Sport Psychology is a study of how psychological factors affect performance. Also, how participation in sport and exercise affect psychological and physical factors.
    The kind of work that qualified Sport Psychologists do includes:
    – Assessing strengths and weaknesses of athletes
    – Performance enhancement and mental skill development
    – Weight and health management
    – Getting athletes into the right mindset before playing a game
    – Teaching mental skills, such as mental imagery.
    This Sports Psychology interests me because there are many job opportunities for sport psychologists, I find the work field is interesting, and it would be possible to meet high rated sports players.
    http://performanceperspectives.com.au/services.php
    http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/sssm/psychology/careers/career_paths_in_sport_psychology
    http://www.psychology.org.au/public/sport/

  3. Sports psychology is the study of psychological factors that affect participation and performance in sports. Sports psychologists help athletes cope with pressure before a game and help them relax in stressful conditions. Sports psychologists try and motivate athletes and get them into the right state of mind. They also work with coaches, referees and trainers. Some of the most important skills taught are goal setting, relaxation, visualization, self-talk and so forth. We chose sports psychology because we would find it interesting to be able to delve into the minds of athletes. We also wanted to learn more about how they help athletes to achieve a high level of performance under stressful situations.

  4. Cognitive Psychology is the study of mental processes in relation to cognitive aspects of our perceptions, such as problem solving, language use and creativity. A specific study that might be done could be seeing how long it takes for a university student to complete a basic quadratic equation under different types of duress, such as sleep deprivation or around loud noise.
    A cognitive psychologist might conduct applied (that is to say applied scientific) or basic research on a person’s cognitive functions. They might work in universities, government agencies, corporate businesses and private counselling. The jobs that one could do would be as an instructor or other type of teacher, a consultant to a particular company. One could also study workplace behaviour for a business under certain circumstances, such as work completed on a hot day.
    The expertise one acquires would be valuable to me, as I enjoy the subject matter. Additionally, the subjects a cognitive psychologist would research come up in everyday life frequently (such as solving a personal dilemma as an example of problem solving, or drawing a picture as an example of creativity), making it an even more attractive subject matter to learn about.

  5. Forensic psychologists apply psychological knowledge, theory and practice to the understanding and functioning of the legal and criminal justice system. The study of forensic psychology is the meeting point of psychology and the law.
    Common tasks and skills of a forensic psychologist:
    • Forensic interviewing
    • Research
    • Psychological formulation and analysis
    • Collecting and reporting evidence of a psychological nature for use in legal proceedings
    • Expert witness in court
    • Rehabilitation
    • Psychotherapy
    • Psychological report writing
    Forensic psychology interests me because of my interest in psychological film and TV crime thrillers and because of its other captivating and interesting aspects.
    http://www.psychology.org.au/publications/inpsych/2010/august/allan/
    http://www.psychology.org.au/public/forensic/
    https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/take-all-prisoners/201006/what-is-forensic-psychology

  6. Clinical psychology is the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health problems, and major mental illnesses. Clinical Psychologists are available for people of all ages and for people from all walks of life, whether they are looking to improve their already stable mental health to people who are facing difficult problems in their lives. Clinical psychologists can also be involved with work such as teaching, research, evaluation, supervision, and program development. We were interested in Clinical Psychology because we are intrigued by the range of mental health problems that these professionals deal with on a daily basis and how they work to assess, diagnose and treat their patients.
    Helpful websites; https://www.psychology.org.au/public/clinical/

  7. A person practicing as a counselling psychologist is mainly involved in, conflict resolution, developing coping mechanisms for patients with mental disorders or who have experienced trauma and wide range of other situations. Counselling psychologists can work in a number of different environments, including schools, where they may help students to deal with stress or improve students’ working habits. Counselling psychologists may also work in organisations, assisting in the inter-relationships of people in a workplace. As well as this they can work in private and public offices with groups such as families or couples. They also work one on one with individuals struggling in a number of situations for example, anger issues or eating disorders.
    We chose this area of psychology because although it is a specialised field, it is very broad and can be applied in many different scenarios.

  8. Clinical Psychology is a mixture of science, theory and clinical knowledge. The purpose of Clinical Psychology is to understand, prevent, and relieve psychologically-based distress or dysfunction. It also promotes subjective and behavioral well-being and personal development.
    A clinical phycologist practices assessment and psychotherapy, although clinical psychologists participate in research, teaching, consultation, forensic testimony, and program development and administration.
    In many countries, clinical psychology is regulated as a health care profession.
    I choose Clinical Phycology because I find it the most interesting of all the fields of psychology as I like the integration of science.

  9. Neuropsychology
    Clinical neuropsychologists provide assessments and treatment recommendations for people experiencing difficulties with memory, learning, attention, language, reading, problem-solving, decision-making or other aspects of behaviour and thinking abilities. Neuropsychologists also provide treatment that may employ cognitive, educational, behavioural or psychosocial methods.

    Neuropsychology programs have become very popular and a number of accredited universities offer them. And Neuropsychology programs can cover a number of different disciplines and often look at information coming from philosophy, psychiatry, neurology and even computer science.

    http://www.alleydog.com/neuropsychology-programs.php#.VNl6esv9nRY

    http://www.psychology.org.au/Search.aspx?SearchText=why+choose+psychology&x=0&y=0

  10. *Clinical Psychology*
    Clinical psychologists consult in professional practices but also may be involved in research, teaching, program development, evaluation and promoting of psychological health in individuals, families, groups and organisations. Most clinical psychologists focus on specific areas or practice relative topics of clinical psychology. They provide a wide range of clinical services that can be accessible by people of any age and any mental health condition. Some case examples are;
    – Treatment of depression
    – Bipolar disorder
    – Dealing with broken relationships
    – PTSD
    – Children with learning disabilities
    Clinical psychologists;
    – Administer and interpret psychological assessment and testing
    – Conduct psychological research, consult (especially for multi-disciplinary teams in mental health settings, such as psychiatric wards and increasingly other healthcare settings, schools and businesses)
    – Develop ways of prevention and treatment programs
    – Provide psychological/ mental treatment

  11. Neuropsychology
    Clinical neuropsychologists provide assessments and treatment recommendations for people experiencing difficulties with memory, learning, attention, language, reading, problem-solving, decision-making or other aspects of behaviour and thinking abilities. Neuropsychologists also provide treatment that may employ cognitive, educational, behavioural or psychosocial methods.

    Neuropsychology programs have become very popular and a number of accredited universities offer them. And Neuropsychology programs can cover a number of different disciplines and often look at information coming from philosophy, psychiatry, neurology and even computer science.

  12. *Clinical Psychology*
    Clinical psychologists consult in professional practices but also may be involved in research, teaching, program development, evaluation and promoting of psychological health in individuals, families, groups and organisations. Most clinical psychologists focus on specific areas or practice relative topics of clinical psychology. They provide a wide range of clinical services that can be accessible by people of any age and any mental health condition. Some case examples are;
    – Treatment of depression
    – Bipolar disorder
    – Dealing with broken relationships
    – PTSD
    – Children with learning disabilities
    Clinical psychologists;
    – Administer and interpret psychological assessment and testing
    – Conduct psychological research, consult (especially for multi-disciplinary teams in mental health settings, such as psychiatric wards and increasingly other healthcare settings, schools and businesses)
    – Develop ways of prevention and treatment programs
    – Provide psychological/ mental treatment

    http://www.ebtc.ie/case-examples-3/
    https://www.psychology.org.au/public/clinical/
    http://psychology.about.com/od/clinicalpsychology/f/clinical-psychology.htm

  13. All sports psychologists require a number of years of university training, the minimal level is 4 years majoring in psychology from an accredited Australian university, with a further 2 years Masters or 3 year professional doctorate at an accredited university. The Australian Psychological Society is the largest professional association for psychologists in Australia, having more than 16,500 members at present.
    Sports Psychologists are usually called upon to: Assist athletes with mental issues they may have that prevent them from playing their required sport at the highest level. Athletes who have had an injury, who are anxious about coming back to play their sport, may require the counselling and support of a sport psychologist. An athlete who may have lost a certain skill and has trouble regaining it might also seek a sport psychologist’s aid in order to think through his or her problems, visualize successful strategies and deal with stress.
    Sport psychology interests me because I am a die-hard sports fan and wonder what some athletes go through to reach peak potential in their game.

  14. Clinical Psychology
    Clinical Psychology combines science, theory and practice to understand mental disorders, human adaptation, and personal development. It focuses on the intellectual, emotional, psychological, social, and behavioural aspects of human functioning across varying cultures and at all socioeconomic levels.
    This means that clinical psychologists use scientific and professional knowledge to explore how people with clinically diagnosed mental disorders feel, think and act. They assess and diagnose anyone suspected of having a certain mental disorder as well as recommending treatments to help remedy mental health problems using a variety of therapies, for instance, cognitive behaviour therapy. Research is a vital part of clinical psychology as it may reveal how to prevent and treat any further disorders or how best to treat long-term mental health problems.

  15. Forensic psychology is
    Forensic psychologists apply their psychological knowledge to the criminal justice system. They can undertake tasks such as psychological assessment of offenders, prediction of future dangerousness, as well as working with the police and victims of crime. Forensic psychologists often work with criminals as their patients, which can make their assessment, diagnosis and treatment much more difficult as the patient has not chosen to seek treatment. Forensic psychologists can often explain why a crime was committed (what state of mind the person was in), and are frequently called to testify as an expert witness in trials.
    Forensic Psychologists can be assigned to work in many workplaces. These include police stations where they aid police with investigations; courtrooms where they present evidence to a jury; jails where they talk and counsel with inmates; and universities where they lecture.
    Forensic Psychology has become a very popular field in recent years, mainly due to its representation in film and television. However, these depictions of Forensic Psychologists are never completely true. They present the job in a sensationalised manner, not focusing at all of the theory of it.
    James and I chose forensic psychology because we are interested in the criminal justice system and the psychology of crime is a subject that interests us because of CSI.

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