58 ❯ STEP 4. Review the Knowledge You Need to Score High
and keeping physically fit. They can be found working in hospitals, rehabilitation cent-
ers, public health agencies, and private practice.
Industrial/organizational psychologists aim to improve productivity and the quality of
work life by applying psychological principles and methods to the workplace. They
focus on the management of organizational efficiency through the proper use of human
resources. Where industrial psychology includes performance appraisals, efficient job
design, and employee selection and training, organizational psychology is focused more
on understanding and enhancing the well-being and development of the individual
employee. I/O psychologists can be found working in business, factories, and research
facilities.
Neuropsychologists explore the relationships between brain/nervous systems and behav-
ior. Neuropsychologists are also called biological psychologists or biopsychologists,
behavioral geneticists, physiological psychologists, and behavioral neuroscientists. They
study biochemical mechanisms, the relationship between brain structure and function,
and chemical and physical changes that occur while experiencing emotions. They can
diagnose and treat behavior related to specific brain and nervous system dysfunctions.
Most positions are at the doctoral and postdoctoral level and are found in hospitals.
Psychometricians, sometimes called psychometric psychologists or measurement psycholo-
gists, focus on methods for acquiring and analyzing psychological data. Psychometrists
may revise old intelligence, personality, and aptitude tests and devise new ones. They
may assist researchers in psychology or other fields to design experiments or interpret
their results. They are often found working in colleges and universities, testing facilities,
research firms, and government agencies.
Rehabilitation psychologists help clients with mental retardation, developmental
disabilities, and disabilities resulting from stroke or accidents adapt to their situations.
They work with people who have suffered physical deprivation or loss as a result of
damage or deterioration of function, such as that experienced after a stroke. They help
people overcome psychological and environmental barriers to effectively function in
their world. Rehabilitation psychologists can be found working in hospitals, rehabilita-
tion centers, medical schools, and government rehabilitation agencies.
School psychologists assess and counsel students, consult with educators and parents,
and perform behavioral intervention when necessary. They often act as consultants to
parents and administrators to optimize the learning environments of specific students.
They can be found in all levels of public and private schools and universities.
Social psychologists focus on how a person’s mental life and behavior are shaped by
interactions with other people. They study how our beliefs, feelings, and behaviors are
affected by other people. Many social psychologists can be found on the faculty of col-
leges and universities, but many are now being hired by hospitals, federal agencies, and
businesses to perform applied research.
Sport psychologists help athletes refine their focus on competition goals, increase motiva-
tion, and deal with anxiety and fear of failure. They study the psychological and mental
factors that influence and are influenced by participation and performance in sport,
exercise, and physical activity, as well as how to apply this information to everyday set-
tings. Sport psychologists may work with college and professional sport coaches to help
improve athletes’ motivation and control.