Finding The Best Area Of Specialization For A Psychologist Calgary

By Eula Clarke


As a child you may have been curious as to how the brain works and how it affects the whole of our being. You have a future as a psychologist Calgary and it may be the right career path for you. Getting a degree in psychology is as easy as enrolling in a good college or university. However, after graduation, you will be faced with vast choices on where to specialize. This article will attempt to shed light to make your decision-making easier.



Research and practice are the two major fields of psychology. The research aspects deal with continuous pursuit of development of current knowledge for the use of many experts. Practical psychology on the other hand deals with the healing of psychological problems of various patients.

Under those two, there are more varied sub-fields. One of the most challenging is biopsychology. It is the combination of neuroscience and basic psychology. It studies the function of the brain in relation to human behavior. It deals primarily with the changes brought about by the nervous system.

The biggest sub-field in psychology is clinical psychology. A clinical psychologist deals with a patient's mental and emotional problems. They assess and help cure patients using psychological principles and through medicine and therapy. This is the most portrayed field in media. Protagonists in movies, when under a rut, is seen lying on a leather couch and talking with a clinical psychologist.

A child is deeply changed psychologically with the first few years of his life. The way he is treated, rewarded and punished causes imprints that develop him. Developmental psychologists study these and parents and teachers best use their research.

Psychologists can find their usefulness for solving crimes and law enforcement. Forensic psychologists help enforcers and the court to catch criminals or to put them behind bars. Their assessment and research results are scientific and can be presented in a court system as a testimony.

The study of psychology in the workplace is undertaken by industrial psychologists. They study a company's culture and how it can contribute to employee productivity. They can suggest solutions as simple as improving the lighting in the office or as drastic as reorganizing a whole department.

A person's uniqueness is studied and mastered by personality psychologists. Their knowledge is general and is appreciated in the academic setting. Practitioners under this field make great life coaches and motivators.

Social psychology is more dynamic than personal psychology. It deals with studying how an external stimulus affects a person's behavior. These psychologists usually work under advertising companies as consultants for improving product packaging and commercials.

Given these many fields, a student will be given the first few years of undergraduate studies to think hard about his future specialty. After graduating from college, one may opt to get a master's degree or a doctorate degree to continue his studies.

A psychologist must remember to pick a field that he is most passionate about. Remember that some take psychology for the wrong reasons such as trying to solve their own struggles. One must have their own problems resolved first because getting a degree in psychology must be in pursuit of furthering knowledge and helping others.




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