B-6 APPENDIX B
medical therapies (with the exceptions discussed earlier, of course) but instead relies on
listening or observing the client’s problems, possibly administering psychological tests,
and then providing explanations for the client’s behavior and feelings or directing the
client in specific actions to make positive changes in his or her life.
COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY Counseling psychology is similar to clinical psychology
in that this type of psychologist diagnoses and treats problems. The difference is that
a counseling psychologist usually works with relatively healthy people who have less
severe forms of mental illness or problems, such as adjustment to college, marriage, fam-
ily life, work problems, and so on. As of 2008, nearly 73 percent of surveyed psycholo-
gists currently providing health services identified themselves as clinical psychologists
or counseling psychologists (Michalski et al., 2010). to Learning Objective 1.4.
DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY Developmental psychology is an area that focuses
on the study of change, or development. Developmental psychologists are interested in
changes in the way people think, in how people relate to others, and in the ways people
feel over the entire span of life. These psychologists work in academic settings such as
colleges and universities and may do research in various areas of development. They do
not provide therapy. to Learning Objective 8.1.
EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY Experimental psychology encompasses several differ-
ent areas such as learning, memory, thinking, perception, motivation, and language. The
focus of these psychologists, however, is on doing research and conducting studies and
experiments with both people and animals in these various areas. They tend to work in
academic settings, especially in large universities. to Learning Objective 1.4
SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY Social psychology is an area that focuses on how human behav-
ior is affected by the presence of other people. For example, social psychologists explore
areas such as prejudice, attitude change, aggressive behavior, and interpersonal attrac-
tion. Although most social psychologists work in academic settings teaching and doing
research, some work in federal agencies and big business doing practical (applied)
research. In fact, many social psychologists are experimental psychologists who perform
their experiments in real-world settings rather than the laboratory to preserve the nat-
ural reactions of people. When people are in an artificial setting, they often behave in
self-conscious ways, which is not the behavior the researcher wishes to study. to
Learning Objective 12.1
PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGY Personality psychology focuses on the differences in per-
sonality among people. These psychologists may look at the influence of heredity on
personality. They study the ways in which people are both alike and different. They
look at the development of personality and do personality assessment. They may be
involved in forming new theories of how personality works or develops. Personal-
ity psychologists work in academic settings, doing research and teaching. to
Learning Objective 13.1
PHYSIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY Physiological psychology is an area that focuses on
the study of the biological bases of behavior. Many professionals now refer to this area
as behavioral neuroscience or biopsychology. Physiological psychologists study the brain,
nervous system, and the influence of the body’s chemicals, such as hormones and the
chemicals in the brain, on human behavior. They study the effects of drug use and pos-
sible genetic influences on some kinds of abnormal and normal human behavior, such
as schizophrenia or aspects of intelligence. Most physiological psychologists, like exper-
imental psychologists, work in an academic setting. to Learning Objective 2.1.
NEUROPSYCHOLOGY Neuropsychology is an area within the field of psychology in
which professionals explore the relationships between the brain systems and behavior.
Neuropsychologists may be engaged in research or more focused on the assessment,counseling psychology
area of psychology in which the
psychologists help people with
problems of adjustment.developmental psychology
area of psychology in which the
psychologists study the changes in the
way people think, relate to others, and
feel as they age.experimental psychology
area of psychology in which the
psychologists primarily do research
and experiments in the areas
of learning, memory, thinking,
perception, motivation, and language.personality psychology
area of psychology in which the
psychologists study the differences in
personality among people.physiological psychology
area of psychology in which the
psychologists study the biological
bases of behavior.neuropsychology
area of psychology in which
psychologists specialize in the
research or clinical implications
of Drain-Dehavior relationshiRs.Z02_CICC7961_05_SE_APPB.indd 6 9/2/16 6:26 PM