Job
Duties
Specific job duties for
psychologists vary according to their specialty.
· Counseling psychologists work at schools, hospitals or individual
practices. They lead group or individual counseling sessions. Their job
involves talking to people and fostering positive mental health and personal
growth.
· Developmental psychologists research changes in behavioral patterns over
a person's life; some focus in on particular time periods, like infancy or
adolescence. Developmental psychologists aim to correct behavioral disorders
caused by improper development.
· Forensic psychologists work with law-enforcement personnel and act
as experts in various legal cases. Particular tasks include assessing
competency, working with child witnesses and performing psychological
evaluations.
· Research psychologists study the causes of particular behavioral
patterns. They perform various lab tests on animals and humans and conduct
trials with carefully controlled sample groups. They aim to learn how memory,
thought and perception actually work.
· Industrial-organizational psychologists work with businesses to maintain a
high-quality work environment. Duties include talking with employees to help
them with any problems, screening applicants and training new hires.
· Clinical psychologists work to prevent, diagnose and treat mental
disorders. These psychologists typically have their own offices and perform
diagnostic exams on patients. They also work alongside doctors to determine the
best course of treatment for particular patients.
· School psychologists work with parents, teachers and students to
foster learning, address school-related problems and promote a safe educational
environment. A key role of school psychologists is to evaluate a student's
special needs and accommodate them accordingly
·
Social
psychologists examine behavioral
trends in society. Their research is used to give advice on leadership, group
behavior and attitude control. They also use their findings to influence system
design and advertisements.