What is Cognitive Psychology?

Cognitive psychology is an area of the study of psychology which examines various mental and psychological processes. Simply put, it is the scientific study of how individuals perceive, think, speak, remember, and work out problems. In addition, it is greatly related to other areas such as linguistics, neuroscience, and philosophy. Enhancing memory, improving decision-making, and improving an educational curriculum, are a few of the practical applications of research in the field of cognitive psychology.

It is important to note that cognitivism, a school of thought in psychology, came from this approach. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) was also greatly influenced by cognitive psychology. CBT is a therapy that combines and uses principles and methods of behavioural and cognitive psychology to treat patients with psychological problems.

Ulric Neisser, an American psychologist, first coined the term “cognitive psychology” in 1967. This term has a lot to do with cognition. Based on Neisser’s book entitled “Cognitive Psychology”, cognition involves all mental processes in which sensory data is stored, transformed, reduced, elaborated, used, and recovered. According to him, cognition is still involved in these mental processes even in the absence of an appropriate stimulus (e.g. in the case of hallucinations).

Now that we understand what cognitive psychology is, we can now discuss questions that are often asked when it comes to having a career in this field.

What Do Cognitive Psychologists Do?

For those interested in this field, this question is commonly asked. In general, most of today’s cognitive psychologists conduct research on an individual’s thought processes and its mechanisms. Just like other professionals in the field of psychology (e.g. clinical psychologists, industrial psychologists, etc.), they may be employed in a variety of work settings such as:

• colleges and universities
• government agencies
• hospitals and health care facilities
• corporate organizations and private consultation

Cognitive psychologists may teach and do research work in colleges and universities as well as hold administrative positions. They may also be employed in different government institutions and agencies. Moreover, they may also apply their expertise and work as consultants in industrial companies and private firms. To make it short, there are a lot of job opportunities for cognitive psychologists just like any other psychologists of other specialization.

What is the average salary of Cognitive Psychologists?

The salary of cognitive psychologists may greatly vary depending on a lot of factors, such as the level of education and acquired training, location of work, type of employer, cost of living, and other factors as well. Based on the 2010 survey released by the U.S. Department of Labor, the average salary of cognitive psychologists working in the U.S. as consultants (for private firms and companies) was about $114,040.00 per year, while the middle 50% has a salary of about $87,330.00 per year. According to the 2009 survey of the American Psychological Association (APA), the average salary for those cognitive psychologists working in college or university settings was about $76,090.00 per year.

What does it take to become a Cognitive Psychologist?

Because most careers in cognitive psychology require at least a master’s or even a doctorate degree, it is very rare to find entry-level job opportunities for graduates holding a bachelor’s degree. If you wish to be employed in applied areas such as industrial-organizational psychology, and human factors (which are most likely to develop in the future), a master’s degree is enough for you to become a competitive candidate in the job market.
A master’s degree usually takes about 2 years on average to complete while a doctorate degree takes about 5 years on average. The main difference of these two programs is that a doctorate degree focuses more on research. Aside from bigger salaries, those who hold doctorate degrees are offered more job opportunities and have more chances of career growth.

Nowadays, the demand for cognitive psychologists may vary. Most are employed in teaching and research positions by colleges and universities. However, it should be noted that in recent years there has been a significant growth in other areas such as software development, industrial-organizational psychology, and human-computer interaction. Job opportunities in these areas are expected to grow even further as the demand of the various organizations for professionals in the field of psychology increase. This will bring more job opportunities to professionals working in the this field. In a job posting survey seen in APS Observer Employment Bulletin conducted from 1991-1996, cognitive psychology jobs report for about 7.5% of the overall number of job listings.

What is Developmental Psychology?

Developmental psychology is defined as the systematic study of an individual’s emotional, psychological, and perception changes that take place during the course of the individual’s different life stages. Developmental psychology is also commonly referred to as human development. This field of study was initially concerned with children but later expanded to include the later stages of life (adolescence, adulthood, and late adulthood). It studies different areas including psycho-physiological processes, language acquisition, cognitive development, identity and self-concept formation, and social and emotional development. Developmental psychology interacts with several other fields including: social psychology, educational psychology, ecological psychology, cognitive psychology, child psychology, forensic developmental psychology, and comparative psychology.

What are the different theories used in Developmental Psychology?

Over the years, several theories have been established about developmental psychology, which provided a clearer and better understanding of this field. Some of the commonly known theories are developed by famous developmental psychologists. They are the following:
• Theory of Cognitive Development – Jean Piaget
• Historical Theory/ Social Constructivism – Lev Vygotsky
• Ecological Systems Theory – Urie Bronfenbrenner
• Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development – Lawrence Kohlberg
• Attachment Theory – John Bowlby, Harry Harlow, Mary Ainsworth
• Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Developement – Erik Erikson
• Psychosexual Development – Sigmund Freud
• Modular Theory of Social Development – Judith Rich Harris
• Social Learning Theory – Albert Bandura
• Behaviourism – B. F. Skinner, John B. Watson, Ivan Pavlov
• Structural Cognitive Modifiability – Reuven Feuerstein
• Ecological Psychology – Eleanor Gibson

What do Developmental Psychologists do?

In general, they examine the social, cognitive, and physiological growth that occurs during the different stages of an individual’s life. Moreover, they are primarily interested in the interaction between an individual’s behavior, personal characteristics, and environmental factors, and their impact on the individual’s development. As developmental psychology concentrates on the interaction between physical development and psychological processes in an individual’s life, developmental psychologists can specialize in behavioural characteristics during infancy, childhood, adolescence and also in later stages of an individual’s life. They can also specialize in studying various developmental disabilities, as well as their effects on the individual and treatment for these disabilities. They can also conduct research and teach at colleges and universities. Because of the wide range of this field of study, most developmental psychologists prefer to specialize in a particular stage of life (e.g. infancy, childhood, adulthood, etc).

Where can Developmental Psychologists work?

Developmental psychologists can be employed in various settings including schools, hospitals, mental health facilities, private organizations, and other organizations. If employed in school settings, a developmental psychologist usually counsels students, conducts assessments, diagnoses learning disorders, and works with families to help students cope with academic, social, and emotional problems. Those employed in court settings usually help prepare clients (mostly children or young adults) to testify in court or work with them in the occurrence of child custody disputes.

Developmental psychologists employed in hospitals or private mental health facilities work directly with clients, and with individuals having disabilities as well as their families to help overcome their psychological, social, emotional problems. They also assess clients, administer psychological tests, and diagnose mental disorders. Developmental psychologists can also offer these services through setting up a private practice.

What are the requirements in order to become a Developmental Psychologist?

In order to become a developmental psychologist, an individual must first earn a master’s or doctoral degree. But
it should be noted that M.A. programs in developmental psychology are quite limited. Moreover, those having master’s degree have fewer employment options and have considerably lower salaries than those of a developmental psychologist holding a doctoral degree. M.A. programs usually take 2 years to complete wherein students are exposed to various classes, supervised internships, and fieldwork opportunities. But unlike other fields, a master’s degree is not a prerequisite for a doctorate program in developmental psychology.

Most of the developmental psychologists either have a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD). Usually both of these two doctorate degrees take 4-6 years to complete. The main difference between the two is that the PsyD programs emphasize more on clinical training and less on research compared to the Ph.D. programs. Doctoral students have internships and/or supervised clinical practices related to their chosen specializations (e.g. teaching assistantships, research opportunities, or hospital internships).

In the U.S., psychologists in this field who want to go into private practice must become certified within their area of residence in order for them to practice their profession. The American Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards provides more information about certification matters.

How much is a Developmental Psychologist’s salary?

In 2010, the average annual salary of a developmental psychologist practicing in the U.S. ranges from $69,007.00 to $90,326.00. The highest 10% of them earned about $101,088.00/year. However, it should be noted that salaries can vary, depending on the level of education and experience of the developmental psychologist, type of employer, the area of work/kind of work setting, and other factors as well.

How much is the demand for Developmental Psychologists?

Based on the U.S. Department of Labor, an increase in the number of available jobs is expected to happen over the coming years. The need for professionals who are able to evaluate, diagnose, assess, and treat individuals with social, mental, emotional, and developmental problems may help increase the demand for developmental psychologists. The increasing elderly population may raise the need for psychologists specialized in the field gero-psychology as they will assist the elderly in coping with the physical, emotional, and mental changes that takes place as the elderly grow older.

All you need to know about Counseling Psychology Counseling Psychology Careers

Counseling psychology is a career in psychology that incorporates the use of applied work and research in a number of areas such as supervision and training, counseling process, prevention and health, and career development. Moreover, counseling psychology also focuses on various issues regarding an individual’s social, developmentan, emotional, educational, health-related, organizational, and vocational state. Like any other fields in psychology (e.g. Educational Psychology, Industrial Psychology, etc.), counseling psychology integrates theory, research, and practice all into one profession. Counseling psychology helps to improve an individual’s well-being, minimizes distress, promotes proper adjustment, resolves crises, and helps an individual in living a more functional and fulfilling life.

You may ask, “What’s the difference between clinical and counseling psychology?” That’s a good point you have there. They may look like just the same but there are a lot of things that set these two psychology fields apart. The main difference between counseling and clinical psychology is the kind of training given as well as the perspective in each field. Counseling psychologists focus more on the problems (e.g. career-related problems) of usually mentally-healthy individuals whereas clinical psychologists focus on individuals with serious mental illness (e.g. personality disorders, schizophrenia, etc.) that often needs clinical attention. One more difference is on the scope of the job. Counseling psychologists are considered to be the generalists because they are trained in a broad range of therapeutic skills. On the other hand, clinical psychologists are concerned with the assessment, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders, in which case makes them focused on fewer areas (e.g. neuropsychological disorders) than that of counseling psychologists. However, it should be noted that clinical and counseling psychologists can provide treatment to the same kind of patients because though they may differ, these two fields still overlap one another.

Moreover, counseling psychologists study and do research in areas including:

• assessment
• rehabilitation
• vocational psychology
• health psychology
• sport psychology
• community psychology
• child development
• adolescent development
• aggression problems
• interpersonal relationships
• substance abuse
• group processes
• crisis intervention;
• developmental disabilities
• eating disorders; and other areas as well.

In the United States, the American Psychological Association (more popularly known as APA) is responsible for the accreditation of counselling psychology programs, both graduate and post-graduate programs. In all U.S. states, counsellors having a masters degree (M.A.) can be licensed if they meet the state’s and national’s requirements. In order for you to be a licensed counselling psychologist, you must meet the criteria for licensure which usually includes a 4-7 year degree (Bachelor’s degree to a graduate/post-graduate degree), and 1 year full-time internship (in which there are 3,000 hours of exams and supervised experience).

Before you become a counseling psychologist, a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) or a Doctor of Education (EdD) degree is required. Ph.D. and Psy.D. degrees are usually offered by a university’s psychology department, whereas Ed.D. degrees are usually offered by a university’s college of education.

An M.A. in counseling psychology usually takes 2-3 years to complete, depending on the university’s program and whether you want to do the program on full or part-time basis. Obviously, an M.A. degree takes less time to complete than a Ph.D degree. But choosing M.A. over Ph.D. has disadvantages (particularly in the U.S.) because each U.S. state has its own requirements for licensing so if you get licensed in one state, it doesn’t follow that you are licensed to practice in other states. It should also be noted that most counseling psychology graduate programs do not offer funding for M.A. students as they do for Ph.D. students.

A Ph.D. in counseling psychology usually takes about 5 years to complete. Usually, students have 4 years of classes, research, and clinical practice. On the 4th year, students will be working on a dissertation paper before going onto an internship on the 5th year. Having that in mind, it is a fact that Ph.D. programs require more clinical experience and involvement in research than M.A. programs.

As for employment concerns, counseling psychologists can be employed in various settings. Counseling psychologists can work in a various settings including hospitals, college counseling centers, government institutions and facilities, and private organizations. They can also work in colleges and universities as teachers, lecturers, associate professors, supervisors, and researchers and can also hold administrative positions as well. They can also go into independent practice and provide counseling, consultation, assessment, psychotherapy, to families, individuals, couples, groups, and even organizations. Counseling psychologists can also be employed in rehabilitation facilities, mental health centers, and other organizations and facilities.

In the U.S., a counseling psychologist’s salary has an average of $64,140.00 in 2008. The middle 50% of U.S. counseling psychologists earned between $48,700.00 and $82,800.00, while the lowest 10% earned less than $37,900.00, and the highest 10% earned more than $106,840.00. It should be noted that a counseling psychologist’s salary may differ from one another, depending on factors such as the level of education and experience of the counseling psychologist, location of work, cost of living, and other factors as well.

On a last note, if you want you to pursue a career in counseling psychology, you should take note that aside from the above-mentioned requirements, sensitivity, compassion, good communication skills, and the ability to motivate people are the key qualities of a good counseling psychologist. It may seem that a lot of patience and perseverance is needed before you become a counseling psychologist. But at the end, all the hard work will surely be paid off as soon as you start you career in counseling psychology.

Forensic psychology deals with the relation of psychology with criminal justice system. In most cases anybody who is interested in one of the numerous forensic psychology careers starts studying psychology as early as possible. The professionals who work under in forensic psychology department are mostly those with a PhD in psychology. More than the psychological aspect, the forensic psychology deals with the criminal justice system for a better understating of the human mind and crime. It is important to understand the ability of a forensic psychology to testify in the court, by converting psychological findings to legal language of the courtroom. The information provided to the legal personnel is such that it can be easily understood.

The forensic psychology indulges in a basic pattern of psychology training to prepare the career. They are almost similar to the other careers in the other branches of psychology. An undergraduate course would be the minimum qualification needed for the forensic psychologist.

It is noticeable that there are only a few schools that offer forensic psychology at a master’s or doctor’s level. There are a variety of subfields under the forensic psychology. Some of the doctors may need to practice under the forensic social work areas such as legal consultations and law enforcement.

It is important to decide which degree to pursue. It could be academic otherwise known as teaching and research, or clinical and applied. A forensic psychology program provides the students with the opportunity to become certified mental counselor with an ordinary ‘doctor of psychology’ degree. It is important to find that the career options would be limited under the master’s level where most jobs require a PhD in the forensic psychology, and this is the main difference between the doctor of psychology Degree and a psychology Degree.

It is possible to start practicing the job if the person holds a forensic psychology degree at a PhD level. The approval in the field of degree of psychology needs to meet the first requirement to work as forensic psychologist. An approved conversion course is an essential factor in gaining a doctorate in forensic psychology.
Most of the forensic psychologists work under the field of criminal justice which is particular in prison service. The training model is also similar to that of other psychology professions.

With Internet reaching millions of people, there has been a lot of scope in different areas. The area which requires special mention in this regard is education. In the world today, it is not necessary to pursue full-time educational programs. There are as many programs for the students as possible in different subjects like psychology, arts, commerce, and so on. Of these, the online psychology degree attracts the attention of many students. There is a great amount of scope associated with a psychology degree.

If you are looking for institutions offering psychology degree online, you are required to be a bit careful. It is essential to make proper enquiries before enrolling for an online program since there are many scams happening in this field. In the field of psychology, there are only a few career options available for those who have an undergraduate degree. In order to improve the job prospects, it is essential to pursue a master’s degree program as well as a doctoral program in psychology. However, there are a wide range of entry level jobs for those who have a bachelor’s degree. There are also many advantages if you have an undergraduate degree in this field. It helps the students to develop the skills which are of great importance in a number of careers. Those who have a bachelor degree often work in the social services division. In this area, the job titles are like career counsellor, psychiatric technician, case management, rehabilitation specialist, etc. The people working in this field require some special skills or abilities. They should be able to assess the client requirements, maintain detailed records with accuracy, express care as well as empathy towards fellow beings, and the like.

During the undergraduate years in psychology, you learn a number of interpersonal skills which helps you a great deal in many other careers. While learning these skills, you get a proper understanding about the human mind as well as behaviour. These skills make you a highly preferred candidate for jobs which demand excellent communication skills. Some examples of these types of jobs include those in marketing, sales, social services, case management, etc. Also, it is possible that you might have undertaken a lot of research and writing while pursuing your academics. This skill is particularly useful in careers like probation officer, library assistant, case work, business manager, and so on.

After you have completed your post graduation in psychology, it is always better to search for jobs which essentially include all of your skills. For this purpose, you would have to make a complete list of the things you have learned while pursuing academics. This will in turn help you to find out the job which best suits your educational qualifications as well as professional goals.

Psychology is a vast subject. The number of people who opt for careers in psychology is increasing day by day. There are many branches in the field of psychology. These include industrial and organizational psychology, criminal psychology, and the like. The branch of industrial and organizational psychology is known by different names including work psychology, occupational psychology, talent assessment or personnel psychology, industrial psychology, work and organizational psychology, organizational psychology, and many more. This field of psychology is best utilized in workplaces and organizations as the name suggests. The organizations and workplaces which come under this branch include non-profit organizations, for-profit businesses, government agencies, universities, colleges, graduate as well as professional school programs, and so on.

The psychologists working in this field contribute greatly to the success of the organization by bringing about improvement in the performance as well as by taking care of well-being of the employees. In fact, an industrial-organizational psychologist conducts extensive research on how to improve the attitude and the behaviour of employees by way of training programs, hiring practices, feedback systems, etc. As far as the academic field is concerned, the psychologist undertakes research on topics like how to improve the admission system, academic achievement, learning outcomes, completion of degrees, the methods employed in teaching and assessment, etc.

According to Guin, this field of psychology refers to the scientific study of relationship between man and his workplace or world of work. The industrial psychologists are given training in the “scientist-practitioner” model. Through this training model, the industrial psychologists learn the application of scientific principles as well as of research-based designs for generation of further knowledge. The workplace requirements of the clients are addressed in this way.

The industrial psychologists become researchers, professors, consultants, and so on. They are also employed in different organizations as part of the human resource department. Here they get actively involved in the initiatives concerning hiring of staff. They are also responsible for organizational development. These psychologists employ a wide range of techniques to conduct organizational research. There are various study-designs used by the industrial psychologists. These include experiments, surveys, quasi-experiments, observational studies, and the like. A number of data sources are used by these people like the historical database, human judgements, objective measures used in work performance, questionnaires, and so on. In fact, these psychologists use both qualitative and quantitative methods of research. The qualitative methods used in industrial psychology comprise of focus groups, content analysis, case studies, interviews, and other observational methods. The quantitative methods include descriptive statistics as well as inferential statistics.

There are different sources on the net offering information regarding organizational psychology. It is at the discretion of the user to utilize information from the most reliable of sources. Comparison of different sources is also a good option to get the best results.

Psychology is the study of behavioural patterns and mental processes of human beings. It is in fact divided into experimental and applied areas. The job of a psychologist varies from one branch of psychology to another. The psychologist salary depends greatly on a number of factors like educational qualifications, the location of practice, the type of practice, experience in the related field, and so on. For example, the psychologists working in metro cities earn more than those working in remote locations. In fact, some psychologists who are much experienced in the field charge hundreds of dollars on an hourly basis. The counsellors at the various clinics as well as non-profit organizations get minimum wages.

This is an often overlooked fact for people who look at psychology and counselling jobs as markedly upscale and high paying professions. You also have to factor in and take into consideration these factors mentioned above when projecting a psychologist’s salary. Fresh graduates and those with little or no counselling experience can not expect to get high wages when compared to those psychologists with outstanding credentials, years of experience and work with large multinational firms or companies.

There are different branches of psychology including occupational psychology, child psychology, clinical psychology, criminal psychology, and many more. Among these branches, the clinical psychology division offers a great amount of scope in terms of career. Today, a majority of the people are opting for clinical psychology as a career option. The clinical psychologist salary depends on the organization which you are working with. In fact, the clinical psychologist salary of those working with different government agencies is much higher.

In clinical psychology, the psychotherapy and psychological assessment principles are used in combination in order to understand the mental illnesses and disorders and offer the necessary treatment for the same. The clinical psychologists are also engaged in consultation, research, and teaching. They provide the necessary support to all age groups, starting from toddlers to adults suffering from psychological problems like depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and so on. In normal cases, the clinical psychologists work at private organizations or public hospitals, along with the psychiatrists. In fact, clinical psychologists are not supposed to prescribe any medication or drugs for the patients.

It is essential to have a master’s degree in the field of clinical psychology in order to begin the career as a clinical psychologist. The job of a clinical psychologist also involves treating people who suffer from addiction or substance abuse, life threatening diseases, chronic pain, etc. apart from those responsibilities mentioned above. These people can opt to work at schools, hospitals, colleges, mental health institutions, independent clinics, and the like. The clinical psychologists are expected to maintain details of client assessment, therapeutic goals, diagnosis, and notes concerned with the treatment given to the clients.

The branch of clinical psychology involves three main specializations such as neuropsychology, health psychology, and geropsychology. In fact, clinical psychology is a vast subject. Working in the field of clinical psychology involves a lot of commitment. In fact, this is not a time bound job. In short, this job is for those people who are ready to serve the mentally disturbed people with utmost dedication and sincerity.

Psychology refers to the scientific and systematic study of human as well as animal mind. The thought and behavioural patterns are dealt with in detail in psychology. Psychology is a subject which offers a great amount of scope in terms of career. A number of psychology careers are available for people who take up psychology as their main subject.

There is another field known by the name criminal psychology. It refers to the application of the principles of psychology to the system of criminal justice. There are a number of criminal psychology careers available for those who are interested in this field, and on a side note, pursuing criminology degrees can jump start your career if you are willing to take this route. Generally, a criminal psychologist has the designation of forensic psychologist, but it has nothing to do with forensic science. The job of a forensic scientist is to inspect the crime scene and reach a conclusion about what might have happened. A criminal psychologist on the other hand, tries to find out why the crime was committed. The criminal psychologists employ a number of methods to find out the exact reason for the crime.

You can also do clinical jobs in this field. Here, the skills of developmental psychology and social psychology are combined to understand the behavioural patterns of the criminal. The job of a criminal psychologist also involves counselling the prisoners or those criminals who are referred to a mental hospital instead of a jail. A criminal psychologist further offers the necessary assistance to lawyers in various trials. He also offers expert testimony on crime-related issues. This involves the explanation of the symptoms of mental illnesses which contributes greatly to committing the crime. Some criminal psychologists prefer to work independently as far as the investigative aspect is concerned. They create profiles of those who might have involved in the crime. They further examine the crime scenes in search of clues. They also undertake detailed research on the type of person who might be responsible for the heinous act. This work may be complicated depending on the kind of crime committed. During this process, the criminal psychologist tries to understand the thought patterns of the person who might have committed the crime.

The criminal psychology careers require a bachelor’s degree in psychology and criminal justice as the basic qualification. You cannot do clinical or investigative work by just having a bachelor’s degree. In fact, a master’s degree is essential for doing this kind of work, and also for getting a better pay scale. If you prefer clinical work, then you require a PhD in psychology.

In short, a career in criminal psychology is not so easy. You may have to come to terms with disturbing situations in this field. The most important thing about this job is that you require serious commitment to serve those who are in trouble.