The Types of psychologists The main ones are: experimental, clinical, psychotherapist, developmental, educational, neuropsychological, work, social, forensic, sport and sexologists.
Psychology is a science that is dedicated to the study of processes that occur at the mental level and human behavior. So we must take into account that people not only use these mental processes in a realm of life, but we are continually making our brains do whatever we do and wherever we go.
This is why psychology can not only have a clinical scope, since there are other areas and contexts in which the knowledge of a psychologist can be very helpful.
Psychologists during their undergraduate education are informed about what types of specialties they can develop once they finish basic studies in the faculty. Sometimes, psychologists not only engage in one of the variants of psychology, but can combine their knowledge in different contexts and with different functions.
You must understand that psychology has multiple ways of helping people's day-to-day lives. The situations are very diverse and the intervention performed by the professional differs greatly from one field of action of another.
Below, I show you a list of 11 types of psychologists that exist to give you an idea of how far the profession covered.
11 Classes of psychologists
1- Experimental psychologists
Psychologists dedicated to research have as main function to perform the appropriate experiments to add more knowledge to the science of psychology.
These psychologists may be trained in research and the subjects on which they work are of a different nature. However, it is also the case of psychologists who specialize in a particular field and then carry out a research work adapted to those knowledge that they have more entrenched.
What is commented in the previous paragraph is important, since there are many psychologists who do not spend all the time to research, either because they perform tasks of their area of expertise and perform other functions totally unrelated to research.
This type of professionals usually work in centers dedicated to research driven by R & D or in Universities . In addition, there are companies that can finance such research in order to use the data and results obtained to apply to the company itself.
2- Clinical psychologists
The professionals that are dedicated to the clinical branch, have as a function to evaluate and to intervene before the different disorders that can suffer a determined patient.
They use tests and tests to make a diagnosis to the person. In addition, they have the power to prepare reports and to carry out a treatment with the person who comes to the consultation.
The pathologies that they work are usually included in the DSM manual , A guide used in psychology to improve diagnoses.
Within clinical psychology, there may also be specializations such as Addictions , behavioral disorders , eating disorders , etc. And while it is true that any clinical psychologist can treat a wide range of patients with different psychopathologies, if you use a professional with more experience in a particular field, the treatment may be more optimal.
To be a clinical psychologist it is necessary that, in addition to having completed a psychology degree, an official master 's degree in this field or the opposition of the resident internal psychologist (PIR) is required.
3- Psychotherapists
These types of psychologists also work from a clinical setting, since the purpose of their work is to help people who come to consult with the problems they may have. The psychotherapy Offers various techniques of different currents in order to improve the quality of life of patients.
Unlike clinical psychology, psychotherapy is not regulated by law. It is understandable since psychotherapists do not work with severe psychopathologies derived from a clinical diagnosis. Even so, the work of psychotherapists is essential in cases where problems are dealt with in human relationships or those that are related to emotions.
In fact the work of a clinical psychologist is not at odds with that of a psychotherapist, but on the contrary, together they can help the patient much more than in isolation.
Psychotherapists can work at the same time from different approaches such as humanism, psychoanalysis and cognitive behavioral therapy.
4- Developmental Psychologists
These professionals base their action on those factors that are related to the personal evolution of an individual.
They ensure that changes in a person's developmental and developmental ages occur normally, not because they are responsible for it, but because they mitigate those problems that are related to the development of the human being in his or her life cycle.
In addition, they study the different stages of human growth and development.
The evolutionary or developmental psychologist tries to understand how people develop in the world they live in and how that changes as the years go by.
Therefore, developmental psychologists work with patients of all ages and ranges, such as childhood, adolescence and even old age.
In addition, they can work in contexts where they are more likely to meet age ranges, such as a college or a geriatric.
5- Educational Psychologists
As its name implies, educational psychology carries out its work in the field of education. This type of professionals usually develop their work in places where they impart knowledge, such as a school or an institute.
These types of psychologists focus on the processes of acquisition of learning and information that the person has. In addition, they also ensure that the learning environment is optimum for higher performance.
Within this field we can also find psychologists who perform the functions of counselor, which help the person to decide which path to choose or which option to take before a particular problem.
They can work individually or in conjunction with other professionals dedicated to teaching.
Neuropsychologists
Neuropsychologists are dedicated to Neurology from a psychological point of view . They work normally with psychopathologies that have associated Neurocerebral organ dysfunction .
When we talk about an organic dysfunction, we mean that the person shows physical damage. That is, if the person in this case has some psychopathological symptoms, they may be caused by real damage in brain .
As in clinical psychology, neuropsychologists must specialize after completing the basic career. Not only do they work from a direct application field with people who need rehabilitation at a cognitive level or who show brain damage , But also can devote their time to research.
To be a neuropsychologist can also be accessed from the medical career.
7- Organizational and work psychologists
Psychologists specializing in this field are dedicated to all those factors that are related to the Working world .
Usually most professions are carried out collectively, since within a company there are usually several workers. This is why when there are people, there will also be relationships between them, which results in a work psychologist whose aim is that the problems arising from those relationships disappear.
In a work organization we can find psychologists working in selection, training of employees or even to improve the health of the same at work. Usually they are collected within the Department of Human Resources, which is usually designated by the abbreviations HR.
For companies to have a psychologist dedicated to this field is important because it can make even indirectly the performance and benefits of the organization itself improve and increase.
8- Social psychologists
These professionals devote their work to those processes that are related to the behavior of human beings by living with one another.
They understand psychology as the general behavior typical of a group of people (the masses). In addition, they not only focus on people, but for them the environment where individuals live is also important.
They are keys to these professionals the own concepts arisen from the relations between humans, be it a human with another, or a complete group.
They study interpersonal relationships, relationships that have groups with others, or relationships that can occur within the same group.
Culture is a very important term for them, and they can apply their knowledge to communities and collectives.
As already mentioned above, all psychologists can perform the research task within their field. However, those of this type, due to their specialization, are those that can contribute much information on everything related to the social, cultural and even political sphere.
9- Forensic Psychologists
The Forensic psychologists Are involved in the legal field. They usually work in the courts, since the information they provide can help judges to make decisions as objectively as possible.
Of course, forensic psychologists provide information based on the (also objective) assessment of the people having the trial, whether they are indicted or even parents who are fighting for custody of a child.
These types of psychologists have as their most common reporting tool, since they are the ones that will determine all the evaluation work that has done this psychologist.
10- Sports Psychologists
Sports psychologists have the function of improving the performance of those athletes with whom they work.
It is about improving the level of mental health so that the athlete can achieve a maximum level of performance when it comes to sports. Athletes who apply for psychological sports aid can be of various kinds, such as football, tennis or even athletics.
When they work, they do it with all those involved, since the idea is that the whole environment and organization that surrounds the athlete is important for the Performance .
In addition, the subjects that work are usually related to the type of sport that is done, since the psychic preparation of a footballer differs in several factors that can have a professional golf player.
You would be surprised to know the number of known and elite athletes who have a sports psychologist for them and when they need it.
11- Sexologists
As its name implies, these psychologists are dedicated to the sexual field of the patients that come to their consultation.
They can work with sexual disorders, both in men and women. In addition they are also able to spend consultation with a couple together.
This type of psychologist is not only dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of sexual disorders, but also can have an educational role in relation to sexuality. That is why they can even dedicate themselves to giving talks about an adequate sexual health.
To be sexologist you must have previously attended the psychology or medical degree.
It is necessary that you know that, although we have mentioned to the 11 types of psychologists more known, the list does not end here, being the branch much more ample.
I hope that after reading the article, the image we talked about at first about the psychologist sitting in consultation is not so clear in your mind. And sure that when you return to hear about this profession, you will no longer tie the psychologist to the mental disorders .
You may have realized that psychology is a science that relates to a wide variety of contexts and applications. Perhaps this is so because, in almost all fields people are present and, where there are people, there are minds working.
What kind of psychologist do you think is missing?