Psychology is a popular college major because the degree can take you in many different directions. Many students decide to study psychology because the career possibilities are endless. From working on research studies to working in high schools, a psychology degree can lead to many industries.

This is part three of my blog series where I discuss four popular psychologist careers and what they do.

Abnormal Psychologist

Abnormal psychology is a branch that studies unusual or atypical emotions, behavior, and social interactions. While clinical psychologists are typically involved in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of these abnormalities, abnormal psychologists also play a role. Abnormal psychologists work to examine the emotions, habits, and thought, and attempt to form approaches designed to help overcome mental afflictions.

Counseling Psychologist

One of the largest branches of psychology is counseling. Counseling psychologists focus on helping patients with relationships, substance abuse, career, and other concerns. Typically, counseling psychologists explore and transform distressing or disruptive mental and emotional experiences into useful personal growth opportunities. They do not work with those who are struggling with severe mental conditions.

Industrial-Organizational Psychologist

Another branch of psychology is industrial-organization. This branch applies psychological principles to research on workplace issues such as productivity and behavior. Most industrial-organizational psychologists study workplace productivity and management and employee working styles and some mainly examine human factors, ergonomics, and human-computer interaction.

Social Psychologist

Social psychology is the final field to discuss. Social psychologists study how society’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied the presence of others. They work in a mixture of industries such as business, law, health, education, politics and more. Social psychologists tend to research topics such as group behavior, social perception,  nonverbal behavior, conformity, aggression, and prejudice.

While there are many different psychology fields, these twelve branches are amongst the more popular. Psychology is an excellent field to study because it offers a vast realm of possibilities. To learn more about where psychology can take you, check out my previous blog: Where Can a Psychology Degree Take You.

Lisa Landman holds a Doctorate in Psychology and has worked in a variety of professional settings. Learn more about her professional work or check out her Twitter!