Psychology

The definition of psychology is the scientific study of mind, brain, and behavior, encompassing thoughts, emotions, motivations, and actions in humans and animals. Psychology delves into various topics under the mind and behavior, such as mental processes, behavior, development, personality, and mental health. Psychology is a broad field with many specialized branches.

One of the four main examples is “Clinical psychology”. Clinical psychology is the scientific and professional practice that combines the study and application of psychological knowledge to understand, prevent, and ease psychological distress, while encouraging well-being. Clinical psychology is used in various settings, such as hospitals, clinics, schools, government agencies, and private practices. The main requirements of being a clinical psychologist are to have a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) and a state license, internship, and continuing education (many countries require psychologists to complete additional education or workshops to maintain their licenses).

The second one is “Cognitive Psychology”. I’m sure some of you know or recognize the word cognitive psychology, but what is it anyway? Cognitive psychology is the scientific study of mental processes like attention, memory, perception, and problem-solving, focusing on how humans acquire, process, store, and retrieve information to guide their behavior. Cognitive psychology started appearing in the 1960s as a departure from behaviorism, which had focused on observable behaviors and disregarded internal mental processes. Cognitive psychology also has some relationships to other fields such as cognitive neuroscience, cognitive neuropsychology, and artificial intelligence. To pursue a career in cognitive psychology, the primary requirement is a doctoral degree, though a Master’s degree can qualify for some research or applied positions.

The third is “Biopsychology.” What’s biopsychology? Biopsychology is the field that studies the biological and physiological underpinnings of behavior and mental processes. It could refer to the psychological impact of undergoing a medical biopsy procedure. A biopsy is a medical procedure where a doctor removes a small sample of cells or tissue from the body for examination under a microscope to diagnose a disease, such as cancer, inflammation, infection, or an allergic reaction.

The last example is “Social Psychology”.  Social psychology is the scientific study of how people’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the presence of others, whether actual, imagined, or implied. Social psychology usually focuses on a person’s social influence, thinking, behavior, and context. Sometimes, people can mix up sociology with social psychology. Still, the difference between the two is that social psychology focuses on how individuals are influenced by and relate to the broader society. In contrast, sociology focuses on the functioning of entire groups and societal structures. This field is usually used in various settings, such as schools and workplaces. The real-life examples of social psychology are considered, such as how people behave differently when working on a group project versus when working alone.