Branches of Psychology

The psychology It is the discipline that is dedicated to the study of the human mind: behavior, mental processes and even the very experience of the human. His field of study is complex, diverse and has many aspects, each with its own approach and a limited field of interest.

Some of these aspects or branches of psychology study the human mind as a whole, that is, in society, while others seek to understand the relationship between the brain and the mind, and others they even prefer to focus on very specific aspects of experience, such as human relationships, sleep, personality, or intelligence.

The branches of psychology

1. Clinical or health psychology. It is the best known branch of psychology, since it is dedicated to the care of mental illnesses and conditions. Study the methods of diagnosis of mental illnesses, and resort to therapeutic methods such as psychoanalysis or psychotherapy. Clinical psychologists are usually part of psychological or psychiatric help centers, as well as specialized care institutes, such as rehabilitation centers. Its objective is to bring the patient to a state of relative normality, in which he can function and take charge of his own life.
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2. Occupational or industrial psychology. He studies human behavior in the workplace, so he is also interested in extra-psychological variables such as productivity and performance. In general, it seeks to understand and improve the human relationship with work, carrying out applied research and providing assistance to productive organizations. Occupational psychologists typically work in private businesses and human resources departments, as well as in the design and application of personnel selection tests and even in marketing and advertising.
3. Social psychology. It studies human behavior in its relationship with others, that is, the human mind when it operates within social structures: countries, groupings, communities, etc. Therefore, it is interested in the coexistence between human beings, cultural norms, popular dynamics and the interrelation between the individual and the collective. It is a complex subdiscipline, since social relations can be understood from an infinity of senses. Social psychology aspires to build useful tools to interpret the actions, decisions and feelings of the human community. Social psychologists may be involved in politics, anthropology, cultural criticism, advertising, marketing, or international relations.
4. cognitive psychology. It studies human thought itself: its processes, its nature and the way knowledge is stored in the brain. Therefore, the interest of cognitive psychologists is especially focused on memory, perceptions and learning, and it is common for them to use medical and/or philosophical knowledge. Its objective is to better understand the mechanisms of the mind, to solve cognitive problems such as memory loss, learning difficulties or dementia.
5. Psychology of learning or psychopedagogy. It studies the mental dynamics for the acquisition of knowledge, that is, of learning. Although his field of study directly complements that of educational psychology, he is not entirely devoted to school and academic, but rather approaches learning from a more theoretical, abstract and philosophical. Learning psychologists are dedicated to investigating how we learn and studying the ways in which this process can be facilitated or improved within and outside the educational environment.
6. educational or educational psychology. Study teaching methods to improve the way young generations are educated. Professionals in this discipline aim to understand the framework of academic training: schools, institutes, universities, but also the family and informal education settings.
7. Health Psychology. It studies the impact of illness and injury on the human psyche (and vice versa). These psychologists understand health not only as physical and physiological well-being, but also emotional and mental well-being. Therefore, they study behaviors that are harmful to the body (such as addictions and eating disorders), but also spaces dedicated to recovery (such as hospitals and medical centers) and the dynamics that take place in them, to try to make the recovery work as psychologically healthy as possible possible.
8. Forensic psychology. In contact with legal sciences and law, it helps in the study and understanding of crime. Forensic psychologists can turn to any of the other branches of psychology for instruments to understand a crime scene, a criminal tour or to assess the mental state of a defendant; but at the same time they must know the way in which the judicial system operates and the laws.
9. sports psychology. It studies the mind and behavior of athletes, either as a tool to enhance sports talent, improve teamwork or provide specialized care and emotional guidance to athletes professionals. Sports psychologists are usually part of the national or Olympic teams, and can also help former athletes.

References:

• "Psychology" in Wikipedia.
• "What are the branches of psychology and their definitions" in the Cervantes Studies Center (Spain).
• “What are the different branches of Psychology?” on the northern University (Mexico).
• “The Major Branches of Psychology”in King University Online (United Kingdom).

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