Psychologist

Psychologists are professionals who have at least an undergraduate degree in psychology, the study of the brain regarding human behavior and personality. The psychologist may work in varied settings with businesses, hospitals, clinics, individual patients, schools, prisons, government, military, communities and many others. The psychologist must be licensed at the state or national level and most professions require an advanced degree such as a doctorate or master’s.

Specific duties can be quite diverse, depending on the specialty chosen. The counseling psychologist will work at hospitals, schools or individual practices and lead group or individual counseling sessions. Their job is to talk to people and foster positive mental health and personal growth.

Forensic psychologists work with law-enforcement and can act as experts in legal cases. Tasks of the forensic psychologist may include assessing competency, performing psychological evaluations and working with child witnesses.

Working in the developmental field, the psychologist would research changes in behavioral patterns over a patient’s life. Focus may be placed on specific time periods such as infancy or adolescence and their aim is to correct behavioral disorders caused by improper development.

In a school setting the psychologist may work with parents, students and teachers in order to aid the learning process, address school related problems and promote a safe educational environment. Evaluating a student’s special needs and accommodating them accordingly is one of the key roles of the school psychologist.

Clinical psychologists typically have private offices and perform diagnostic exams on their patients. They are working to prevent, diagnose and treat mental disorders.  They sometimes work with physicians to determine the patient’s best course of treatment.

Some businesses employ Industrial-organizational psychologists to work with employees and maintain a high-quality work environment. The psychologist may talk with employees, screen applicants and train new hires.

The social psychologist examines behavior traits and trends in the society. Research can be used to give advice on group behaviors, attitude control and leadership as well as influencing system design and advertising.