An Overview of Working as a Psychologist

Broadly speaking, psychologists study the mind and behavior, but because psychology is such a diverse field, the work that individual psychologists do can vary dramatically. They often专攻某一特定领域, for example, and there are myriad of psychology specialties. Here's an overview of the ways in which a psychologist might funnel his or her expertise into a career.

Two Types of Psychology Work

Psychologistsmay work in a wide variety of settings, including schools, universities, hospitals, private clinics, government offices, corporations, and small businesses. Psychologists primarily work in one of two broad areas: research psychology or applied psychology. Research psychologists investigate the physical, emotional, social, cognitive, and biological bases of human thought and behavior. They often conduct experiments and may work at a college or university, or be employed by a business or government office.

Applied psychologists use their knowledge of human behavior to solve real-world problems or help people overcome psychological distress. Applied psychologists may work directly with patients in a healthcare setting, such as in a hospital, mental health clinic, school, or private practice. Other applied psychologists may work in government, industry, business, or nonprofit settings. In addition to applying their knowledge of psychology directly, these professionals also may perform research, offer training, design products, create programs, or provide psychological advice.

心理学家生命中的一天

从事研究工作的心理学家经常花费大量时间来发展假设和收集数据。确切的研究方法他们的使用很大程度上取决于他们所研究的主题。例如，一些心理学家可能使用实验室实验进行研究，而其他人可能使用自然主义观察。其他常用的方法包括问卷调查、临床研究、调查和访谈。

Psychologists employed in health care settings often spend a considerable amount of time working directly with clients. This might involve conducting assessments of new patients, diagnosing mental disorders, and performing心理治疗. 心理学家还经常咨询其他卫生专业人员，包括医生、护士和其他治疗师。

心理学专业领域万博maxbetx官网登陆

下面是一些例子专业多样化构成了心理学的领域。万博maxbetx官网登陆

临床心理学家make up the single largest specialty area in psychology. Clinicians are psychologists who assess, diagnose, and treat mental illnesses. They frequently work in mental health centers, private or group practices, or hospitals.

在临床心理学领域内，也有一些副专业领域。一些专业人士是多万博maxbetx官网登陆面手，与广泛的客户合作，而另一些则专门治疗某些类型的疾病心理障碍or a certain age group.

例如，一些临床心理学家可能在医院工作，帮助患有脑损伤或神经疾病的人。其他临床心理学家可能在心理健康中心工作，为个人或家庭应对压力、精神疾病、药物滥用或个人问题提供咨询。万博手机客户端

他们可能在医院、学校、大学、监狱、心理健康诊所或私人诊所工作。万博手机客户端

There also are a number of different sub-specialty areas within clinical psychology, including健康心理学万博maxbetx官网登陆，神经心理学和万博maxbetx官网登陆老年心理学。

According to the职业展望手册，健康心理学家致力于促进健康行为。神经心理学家专注于研究大脑和行为之间的关系。老年心理学家专门研究老年人的特殊问题。

Counseling psychologists另一个很大的心理学专业领域。这些专业人员执行许多与临床心理学家相同的任务，但心理万博maxbetx官网登陆咨询心理学家倾向于与患有较轻形式的精神疾病的客户合作。

心理咨询的重点是为经历万博maxbetx官网登陆各种各样症状的客户提供治疗。咨询心理学协会将该领域描述为“一个心理学专业，在整个生命周期内促进个人和人际功能，重点关注情感、社会、职业、教育、健康相关、发展和组织方面的问题。”

实验心理学家（或研究心理学家）研究人类和动物的行为。他们经常在大学、私人研究中心、政府机构和非营利组织工作。一些主要的研究领域包括药物滥用、遗传学、神经科学、动机和认知过程。

Forensic psychologistswork in the specialty area that deals with the intersection of psychology and the law. Forensic psychologists are often involved in custody disputes, insurance claims, and lawsuits. Some professionals work in family courts and offer psychotherapy services, perform child custody evaluations, investigate reports of child abuse and conduct visitation risk assessments.

Those working in the civil courts often assess competency, provide second opinions, and provide psychotherapy to crime victims. Professionals working in the criminal courts conduct evaluations of mental competency, work with child witnesses, and do assessments of juvenile and adult offenders.

Social psychologists专注于理解与他人的互动如何影响个人和群体行为。这些专业人员通常在市场研究、组织管理、系统设计和其他应用领域工作。突出的研究领域包括群体行为，领导，态度，和感知。