Types Of Psychologists

Upon the mention of the word psychologist, most people imagine somebody sitting across from them in an office scribbling notes on a pad. Lots of psychologists engage in talk therapy like this, but others don’t. Below are some of the types of psychologists you should know about in case you’re looking for help immediately.

    Aviation Psychologists

Here, they study the behaviour of flight crew members and pilots. They are also employed to do research on the safety of airlines, develop training equipment for the flight crew and in selecting suitable employees for the airlines. Aviation psychologists determine whether certain individuals are sane to fly a plane or work in one.

    Bio-psychologists

They are also referred to as physiological or biological psychologists. Their job is to research and study the behaviour and performance of the brain. On the other hand, they consider various brain diseases, injuries and their effect on overall human behaviour.

    Clinical Psychologists

Here, they assess any individuals who are suffering from mental illnesses, diagnose and treat them accordingly. Clinical psychologists also develop treatment plans and perform psychotherapy techniques to aid their patients in getting better. Generalist psychologists also engage in this task too but have different levels of tertiary training. It is always best to inquire on the psychologists training and experience and ensure they can help you in the area you need, equally important is ensuring you feel you can connect with them and feel comfortable.

    Cognitive Psychologists

Here, they have a job description of investigating the thinking process of individuals. For instance, they are tasked with investigating the problem-solving and decision-making processes of any individual. Other types of psychologists like clinical psychologists do this too.

    Community Psychologists

If any health issues are affecting a particular community, these psychologists are called in to help. They conduct research on the health problem, develop prevention programs, come up with treatment procedures and also create awareness of the health problem to the whole community.

    Comparative Psychologists

As the name suggests, they study the behaviour of animals alongside that of humans. Also, they conduct comparative studies to understand the different distinctions between human actions and that of other animals.

    Consumer Psychologists

They are also referred to as marketing psychologists. Their job is to research the behaviour of consumers in the marketplace. They are also tasked with developing the best marketing strategies that improve business practices.

    Counselling Psychologists

Here, the psychologists use psychotherapy techniques to aid people suffering from varying psychological disturbances. These are the most common types of psychologists. They are perfect for people suffering from marriage troubles, trauma, relationship troubles and much more.

    Cross-Cultural Psychologists

These individuals have a job description of studying people across different cultures. On the other hand, they are tasked with looking at how cultural affiliations can influence behaviour and much more.

    Developmental Psychologists

Here, they are tasked with studying human development throughout their lifespans. They can also focus on a particular time such as childhood, adulthood, adolescence or elderly years. For parents with children suffering from developmental issues, developmental psychologists are helpful to assist the toddlers with their milestones and assess the level of difficulty.

    Educational Psychologists

Here, they are tasked to understand the learning process of various individuals as well as the education process. Educational psychologists also develop instructional techniques, teaching strategies and many more methods to help people in varying education levels. They are also involved with understanding individuals with giftedness as well as people with studying disabilities and provide helpful recommendations that promote learning.

    Environmental Psychologists

Their job description involves studying how people relate to their environments. These include both the natural and artificial environment. Here, environmental psychologists are tasked with helping people understand their effect on the environment, whether good or bad.

    Engineering Psychologists

They are researching on new ways to improve human abilities by increasing everything else around us. For instance, they are looking for new ways to revolutionise machines, technology, equipment, and various work environments to increase human productivity and other abilities.

    Forensic Psychologists

Their job is to focus on the relationship between this discipline and the law. In most cases, they are called upon as expert witnesses in legal cases to testify whether the accused was in their right mind while performing illegal acts. Over the last few years, forensic psychology has become an important discipline to help with legal proceedings and decision making.

    Health Psychologists

Here, they are tasked with understanding how psychology, social groups, and biology, as well as behavior, influence an individuals illness, wellness and overall health. In simple words, health psychologists need to identify psychological factors behind a persons illness and helpful factors in treatment.

    Learning Psychologists

Slightly different from educational psychologists, these individuals research on the various methods people use to learn as well as factors that might influence these practices. On the other hand, they also need to identify obstacles that might affect the learning process such as learning disabilities, environmental impact and much more.

    Military Psychologists

These individuals practice the discipline in a military environment. They handle all the jobs done by other types of psychologists in a military setting. For instance, they can treat soldiers suffering from emotional distress or mental illnesses. On the other hand, they research different aspects affecting the military way of life. They can also help soldiers with transitioning to civilian after being discharged from their duties.

    Social Psychologists
These psychologists study groups of people such as the behaviour of individuals in these groups. Also, they study how being in the presence of other individuals can affect a persons behaviour. For instance, does a person become more talkative or quiet in groups?

    School Psychologists

These individuals are usually employed in schools at different levels of education.  They are tasked with studying the academic, emotional, behavioural and social problems facing students or children when under the educational system.