Areas of specialization/ fields:

Clinical Psychology
"Clinical psychologists assess and treat people with psychological problems. They may act as
therapists for people experiencing normal psychological crises (e.g., grief) or for individuals
suffering from chronic psychiatric disorders. Some clinical psychologists are generalists who
work with a wide variety of populations, while others work with specific groups like children,
the elderly, or those with specific disorders (e.g., schizophrenia). They may be found in hospitals,
community health centers, or private practice" (as stated on the APA website).
Counseling Psychology
"Counseling psychologists do many of the same things that clinical psychologists do. However,
counseling psychologists tend to focus more on persons with adjustment problems, rather than on
persons suffering from severe psychological disorders. Counseling psychologists are employed
in academic settings, community mental health centers, and private practice. Recent research
tends to indicate that training in counseling and clinical psychology are very similar" (as stated
on the APA website).
Educational Psychology
"Educational psychologists are concerned with the study of human learning. They attempt to
understand the basic aspects of learning and then develop materials and strategies for enhancing
the learning process. For example, an educational psychologist might study reading and develop
a new technique for teaching reading from the results of the research" (as stated on the APA
website).
Industrial Psychology
Industrial/Organizational Psychology is a field in which scientific principles are developed and
applied in the workplace. Industrial Psychology is focused on the management perspective of
organizational effectiveness through the proper use of human resources and people. Common
issues in Industrial Psychology include performance appraisals, efficient job design, and
employee selection and training.
Organizational Psychology
Organizational Psychology, on the other hand, is focused more on the individual employee. It is
concerned with understanding and enhancing the well-being and development of the individual
employee. Common issues in Organizational Psychology include job stress, employee attitudes
and behavior, and supervisory practices

Developmental Psychology
"Developmental psychologists study how we develop intellectually, socially, emotionally, and
morally during our lifespan. Some focus on just one period of life (e.g., childhood or
adolescence). Developmental psychologists usually do research and teach in academic settings,
but many act as consultants to day-care centers, schools, or social service agencies" (as stated on
the APA website)
Personality Psychology
This area of psychology seeks to understand personality and how it varies among individuals as
well as how people are similar in terms of personality. Personality is often thought of as
something that arises from within the individual and remains fairly consistent throughout life. It
encompasses all of the thoughts, behavior patterns, and social attitudes that impact how we view
ourselves and what we believe about others and the world around us. Understanding personality
allows psychologists to predict how people will respond in certain situations and the sorts of
things they prefer and value.
Social Psychology
"Social psychologists study how our beliefs, feelings, and behaviors are affected by other
persons. Some of the topics of interest to social psychologists are attitudes, aggression, prejudice,
love, and interpersonal attraction. Most social psychologists are on the faculty of colleges and
universities, but an increasing number are being hired by hospitals, federal agencies, and
businesses to perform applied research" (as stated on the APA website).
Environmental Psychology
"Environmental psychologists are concerned with the relations between psychological processes
and physical environments ranging from homes and offices to urban areas and regions.
Environmental psychologists may do research on attitudes toward different environments,
personal space, or the effects on productivity of different office designs" (as stated on the APA
website).
Forensic Psychology
Forensic psychologists are concerned with the applied and clinical facets of the law such as
determining a defendant's competence to stand trial or if an accident victim has suffered physical
or neurological damage. Jobs in these areas are in law schools, research organizations,
community mental health agencies, and correctional institutions" (as stated on the APA website).
Consumer Psychology
"Consumer Psychology is the study of human responses to product and service related
information and experiences. Many responses are important, including beliefs and judgments,
emotions, purchase decisions, and consumption practices. A broad range of product and service
related information is also important, such as advertisements, package labels, coupons, consumer

magazines, and word-of-mouth communications from friends and relatives. The goals of
consumer psychologists are to describe, predict, influence, and/or explain consumer responses.
Consumer psychologists are educators, researchers, and administrators. They get direct feedback
from their work and they see how it changes things. It is not easy to understand why some people
buy and others do not. Nor is it a simple matter to discover the trends and predict where things
are going in the next few years. The majority of business executives and managers are well
educated and trained in their field, but few are also all that familiar with the behavioral sciences.
This is where consumer psychologists step in".