13 Major Branches Of Psychology

13 Major Branches of Psychology
1 . Abnormal Psychology
Abnormal psychology is the area that looks at psychopathology and abnormal behavior. The term covers a broad range of disorders, from depression to obsession-compulsion to sexual deviation and many more. Counselors, clinical psychologists and psychotherapists often work directly in this field.

2 . Behavioral Psychology
Behavioral psychology, also known as behaviorism, is a theory of learning based upon the idea that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning. While this branch of psychology dominated the field during the first part of the twentieth century, it became less prominent during the 1950s. However, behavioral techniques remain a mainstay in therapy, education and many other areas.
3 . Biopsychology
The branch of psychology focused on the study of how the brain influences behavior is often known as biopsychology, although it has also been called physiological psychology, behavioral neuroscience and psychobiology.
4 . Cognitive Psychology
Cognitive psychology is the branch of psychology that focuses on internal states, such as motivation, problem solving, decision-making, thinking and attention. This area of psychology has continued to grow since it emerged in the 1960s.

5 . Comparative Psychology
Comparative psychology is the branch of psychology concerned with the study of animal behavior. The study of animal behavior can lead to a deeper and broader understanding of human psychology.
6 . Cross-Cultural Psychology
Cross-cultural psychology is a branch of psychology that looks at how cultural factors influence human behavior. The International Association of Cross-Cultural Psychology (IACCP) was established in 1972, and this branch of psychology has continued to grow and develop since that time. Today, increasing numbers of psychologists investigate how behavior differs among various cultures
7 . Developmental Psychology
This branch of psychology looks at development throughout the lifespan, from childhood to adulthood. The scientific study of human development seeks to understand and explain how and why people change throughout life. This includes all aspects of human growth, including physical, emotional, intellectual, social, perceptual and personality development. Topics studied in this field include everything from prenatal development to Alzheimer's disease.
The process of prenatal development occurs in three main stages. The first two weeks after conception are known as the germinal stage; the third through the eighth week are known as the embryonic period; and the time from the ninth week until birth is known as the fetal period.
8 . Educational Psychology
Educational psychology is the branch of psychology concerned with schools, teaching psychology, educational issues and student concerns. Educational psychologists often study how students learn or work directly with students, parents, teachers and administrators to improve student outcomes.

9 . Experimental Psychology
Experimental psychology is the branch of psychology that utilizes scientific methods to research the brain and behavior. Many of these techniques are also used by other areas in psychology to conduct research on everything from childhood development to social issues.
10 . Forensic Psychology
Forensic psychology is a specialty area that deals with issues related to psychology and the law. Forensic psychologists perform a wide variety of duties, including providing testimony in court cases, assessing children in suspected child abuse cases, preparing children to give testimony and evaluating the mental competence of criminal suspects.
11 . Health Psychology
Health psychology is a specialty area that focuses on how biology, psychology, behavior and social factors influence health and illness. Other terms including medical psychology and behavioral medicine are sometimes used interchangeably with the term health psychology. The field of health psychology is focused on promoting health as well as the prevention and treatment of disease and illness.
12 . Personality Psychology
This branch of psychology is focused on the patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behavior that make a person unique. Some of the best-known theories in psychology have arisen from this field, including Freud's psychoanalytic theory of personality and Erikson's theory of psychosocial development
13 . Social Psychology
Social psychology seeks to explain and understand social behavior and looks at diverse topics including group behavior, social interactions, leadership, nonverbal communication and social influences on decision-making.

1. General Psychology – explains the principles of behavior; how and why people behave.
2. Comparative Psychology – (Animal Psychology) studies the behavior and mental processes of humans in comparison with that of animals on the basis of genetic and evolution.
3. Developmental Psychology – (Genetic Psychology) studies the various aspects of growth and development from prenatal to old age.
4. Child Psychology – is a study of behavior from birth to early adolescence. Patterns of growth and development and environmental influences on the child are considered.
5. Adolescent Psychology – a study of human behavior from puberty to later life. This involves the physical and mental maturation of individuals as well as the emotional and social maturity.
6. Senescent Psychology – is the study of human behavior in old age.
7. Consumer Psychology – Studies motivation, perception and learning in order to understand buying decisions of consumers. Mass media, advertising, surveys, market research and salesmanship are the important areas in this field.
8. Abnormal Psychology – is concerned with the causes of personality disorders and deviant behavior.
9. Dynamic Psychology – (Personality Psychology) emphasizes the internal drives and motives of particular behavior.
10. Legal Psychology – is the application of psychological principles in analyzing evidences and examining witnesses in legal proceedings(Legal psychologists typically take basic social and cognitive theories and principles and apply them to issues in the legal system such as eyewitness memory, jury decision-making, investigations, and interviewing.)
11. Forensic Psychology – involves work within the domain of legal, judicial, and correctional institutions (example: Forensic Psychologist work with human problems, determine mental competence of the accused, prepare psychological reports to help judges decide on a particular case.)
12. Business Psychology – uses techniques of mass persuasion to gain more customers and improve business transaction.
13. Social Psychology – explains the interaction of groups of persons with other groups.
14. Counseling Psychology – focuses on the problems of adjustment to challenges that everyone faces in life. Helps the individual in dealing with personal problems, career choice, adjustment, interpersonal relations, parent-child relationship and other concerns.
15. Educational Psychology – is the application of learning principles for effective instruction, diagnosis and treatment of learning difficulties (workers in this area are researchers and theorists called “educational psychologists”.)
16. School Psychology – is devoted to the assessment and remedy of problems encountered in education, including both learning disabilities and emotional problems. Practitioners in schools or school-related settings are called “school psychologists”.
17. Clinical Psychology – involves the diagnosis and evaluation of events that gave rise to behavior disorders and other forms of maladjustments.
18. Industrial (organizational) Psychology – is the application of psychological knowledge to the problems of business and industry (Job Satisfaction and productivity).
19. Human Engineering Psychology – is concerned with creating safer and more efficient equipments so that workers will be able to perform their jobs with a minimum expenditure of time and effort.
20. Experimental Psychology – is the scientific investigation of the different aspects of behavior, sensation, perception, learning, emotion, motivation, and other psychological processes.
21. Differential Psychology – studies differences and similarities among individuals, social groups and races.
22. Physiological Psychology – is a subdivision of behavioral neuroscience or biological psychology that studies the neural mechanisms of perception and behavior through direct manipulation of the brains of nonhuman animal subjects in controlled experiments.[1] Unlike other subdivisions within biological psychology, the main focus of physiological psychological research is the development of theories that explain brain-behavior relationships rather than the development of research that has translational value.
23. Ecological Psychology – studies the effects of environmental conditions (pollution, overcrowding, natural calamities, disease) on the behavior of people.
24. Sport Psychology – focuses on the social, mental and emotional problems of athletes.
25. Mental Hygiene – is the application of systematic practices for the preservation of mental health.
26. Biopsychology – explores the relationship between fundamental biological processes and behavior. The study is focused on the functions of the different internal organs of the body, especially the nervous system and their bearing on behavior and mental processes. It is the application of the principles of biology, in particular neurobiology, to the study of mental processes and behavior in human and non-human animals.
27. Cognitive Psychology – is a discipline within psychology that investigates the internal mental processes of thought such as visual processing, memory, problem solving, and language.
28. Health Psychology – explores the relationship between physical and mental health, and especially, the role of stress in health.
29. Engineering Psychology – deals with the design of the equipment and the tasks of the individual who operated them.
30. Media Psychology – seeks an understanding of how people perceive, interpret, use, and respond to a media-rich world. In doing so, media psychologists can identify potential benefits and problems and promote the development positive media
31. Computer Psychology (cyberpsychology)- is the study of the human mind and behavior in the context of human-technology interaction. However, mainstream research studies seem to focus on the impact of the Internet and cyberspace on the psychology of individuals and groups. Some hot topics include: online identity, online relationships, personality types in cyberspace, transference to computers, addiction to computers and Internet, regressive behavior in cyberspace, online gender-switching, etc. Study on individual differences in computer-related behavior and the psychology of technology-enriched learning. Concerned with the psychological effects and implications of computer technologies such as the Internet and virtual reality.
32. Psychometrics - The use of psychological tests to measure intelligence, abilities, attitudes, and personality traits.
Why study Psychology?
Whatever career you pursue, a background in psychology will enhance your employability. Studying psychology can…
…help you understand yourself and other people by learning about aspects of human behaviour that will help you in daily life, including your interactions with others, your learning and memory performance, your ability to cope with pressure and your understanding of the causes of psychological disorders.

…complement other learning by combining Psychology with other courses. Many courses in the Faculty of Arts and Social Science, as well as those in the Australian School of Business, benefit from an understanding of human behaviour, be it social interaction, language and communication, human motivation and emotion, or the process of decision-making. Knowledge about brain function and behaviour is of considerable benefit to students studying other science degrees.

…develop sound analytical skills through the application of scientific method. Psychology is a science. The defining feature of any science is the objective approach that is used to advance our knowledge. In psychology we use this scientific approach to learn about behaviour and mental life. Psychology provides an excellent training in analytic thinking and scientific research methods that are applicable to a broad range of careers.
…prepare you for a career as a professional Psychologist. Psychologists work in a wide variety of different contexts, including clinical, legal, organisational, educational and research settings in both the private and public sector. The initial training required to work as a psychologist is an accredited undergraduate degree in psychology. Specialist training in different professional areas is then provided in postgraduate degrees.
...provide excellent job prospects in a wide range of careers. Job Outlook, the careers and labour market research information site of the Australian Government, makes the following points about Psychologists: Psychologists are employed across several industries including Health Care and Social Assistance; Public Administration and Safety; Education and Training; and Administrative and Support Services. This mix of industries is highly favourable for employment growth prospects. In fact, employment growth over the next ten years is predicted to exceed 140%, with growth in the top 10% of all careers over the next 2-10 years. For Psychologists working full-time, average weekly hours are 37.8 (compared to 41.3 for all occupations) and earnings are above average – in the top 20% of all careers. Unemployment for Psychologists is low.