INTRODUCTION: PSYCHOLOGY PSYCHOLOGY (Definition) Psychology is both an applied and academic field that studies the human mind

and behavior. Research in psychology seeks to understand and explain how we think, act and feel. As most people already realize, a large part of psychology is devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of mental health issues, but that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to applications for psychology. In addition to mental health, psychology can be applied to a variety of issues that impact health and daily life including performance enhancement, self-help, ergonomics, motivation, productivity, and much more. BRANCHES OF PSYCHOLOGY Experimental Psychology Experimental psychology uses scientific experiments to investigate the mind and behavior. A classic work of experimental psychology is Robert Cialdini's "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion" which uses empirical experiments to investigate social influence. Developmental Psychology Developmental psychology is the study of the changes in psychology, emotion and perception that occur over the course of a human life. Developmental psychology originally referred to the study of children however it has now expanded to include the entire life. It explores whether traits are innate or acquired and investigates many areas including language acquisition, emotional development, personality and identity. Biopsychology Also known as psychobiology, behavioral neuroscience or biological psychology, this is the investigation of the relationship between biological (in particular neurobiological) processes and behavior. Personality Psychology Personality psychology investigates the personality and investigates how individuality develops in the individual. It investigates areas such as conditioning - which is the tendency towards specific acquired behavioral patterns learned or caused through a specific stimulus. It also investigates ideas such as Maslow's theories on individual motivation and the need for selfactualization. Social Psychology Social psychology is the study of how society affects, and is affected by, the mind of the individual. Social psychology includes interesting topics such as social hierarchy, crowd psychology, conformity, prejudice, mob instinct, influence, leadership, status anxiety and peer pressure. Social psychology studies social situations and group interactions empirically and uses data to investigate social influence. Cognitive Psychology Cognitive Psychology is the study of cognition. The branch of cognitive psychology usually deals with the internal mental processes of individuals. Cognitive psychology studies the various abilities of a person which includes memory, language learning abilities, problem solving and learning. This branch of psychology is also extremely closely related to other branches of

science like philosophy, neuroscience and linguistics. Cognitive Psychology deals with perception, memory, articulation and problem solving. It includes computational terminology and crosses over into the field of artificial intelligence. Cognitive psychologists are devoted to the study of the working of the human mind with respect to acquiring of information, storing of the information and utilization of the information. Many experts opine that cognitive psychology is generally the study of human intelligence. Apart from the two mentioned branches of psychology there are other branches of psychology which are defined as well as branches of psychology which are still being developed. Psychology today is more eclectic and has developed due to research and experiments conducted since the medieval times to help countless people live healthy and normal lives. Industrial / Organizational Psychology Industrial-Organizational Psychology, also known as I/O psychology, work psychology, or personnel psychology) is the study of psychology in the work place. It seeks to evaluate and improve performance and well-being of an organization's personnel in order to bring greater success to the organization. Human Factors Human factors is an area of psychology that focuses on a range of different topics, including ergonomics, workplace safety, human error, product design, human capability and humancomputer interaction. Human factors psychologists perform a number of duties such as exploring the ways that people interact with products and environments and designing interfaces that are easy to understand. Forensic Psychology Forensic Psychology is a specialized branch of psychology that involves the application of psychological expertise to legal cases. Forensic psychologists may do a variety of work, for example making mental health assessments in legal cases or even making recommendations to help solve crimes. Cross-cultural Psychology Cross-cultural psychology is a branch of psychology that looks at how cultural factors influence human behavior. The International Association of Cross-Cultural Psychology (IACCP) was established in 1972, and this branch of psychology has continued to grow and develop since that time. Today, increasing numbers of psychologists investigate how behavior differs among various cultures throughout the world. Health Psychology Health psychology is a more specialized branch of psychology that explores how social and psychological factors influence health and illness. It also focuses on understanding how people cope with ill health. Educational Psychology Educational psychology is of course the branch of psychology concerned with learning and teaching. It investigates how people learn and how teaching can achieve better results. It may also investigate the difference between fast and slow learners, learning disabilities and student motivation.

Clinical Psychology Clinical Psychology is most studied and practiced branch of psychology. This branch of psychology deals with the understanding of various maladjustments, discomfort and disability in the human mind and working towards providing relief. Clinical psychology uses theory, science and practice to understand the intricate processes of the human mind which are initiated to help a person adjust and function in society. A clinical psychologist will have to understand the various facets of the human personality which includes intellect, emotions, physiology and social behaviour. Clinical psychology, also known as counseling psychology, is treatment-oriented and uses psychotherapy to evaluate and cure psychological issues such as trauma. Counseling Psychology Here, the focus is on providing therapeutic interventions for clients who are struggling with some mental, social, emotional or behavioral issue. It also looks at living well, so people reach their maximum potential in life. School Psychology A school psychologist is a type of psychologist that works within the educational system to help children with emotional, social and academic issues. The goal of school psychology is to collaborate with parents, teachers, and students to promote a healthy learning environment that focuses on the needs of children. Sports Psychology Sports Psychology is of course the study of how psychology affects the performance of athletes. Sports psychology has become a popular subject in recent years with the realization of how critical a good mental and emotional state is to peak performance. Sports psychology is used to increase the motivation, morale and focus of players and keep them in the winning frame of mind. Community Psychology Community psychology is a specialty area concerned with how individuals relate to society. Have you ever wondered how people can become more active contributors in their communities? Or do you ever think about how community issues can impact the health and wellness of individuals? These are both major topics of interest within the field of community psychology. Positive Psychology Positive psychology is one of the newest branches of psychology to emerge. This particular area of psychology focuses on human prospering. While many other branches of psychology tend to focus on dysfunction and abnormal behavior, positive psychology is centered on helping people become happier. Environmental Psychology/Ecopsychology Ecopsychology, or Environmental psychology, is the investigation of the relationship between human consciousness and the natural world. Ecopsychology emphasizes human consciousness in relation to earth consciousness, and how the natural world affects human behavior in regards to this relationship.,

IMPORTANT PEOPLE 1. B. F. Skinner In the 2002 study ranking the 99 most eminent psychologists of the 20th century, B.F. Skinner topped the list. Skinner's staunch behaviorism made him a dominating force in psychology and therapy techniques based on his theories are still used extensively today, including behavior modification and token economies. 2. Sigmund Freud When people think of psychology, many tend to think of Freud. His work supported the belief that not all mental illnesses have physiological causes and he also offered evidence that cultural differences have an impact on psychology and behavior. His work and writings contributed to our understanding of personality, clinical psychology, human development, and abnormal psychology. 3. Albert Bandura Bandura's work is considered part of the cognitive revolution in psychology that began in the late 1960s. His social learning theory stressed the importance of observational learning, imitation, and modeling. "Learning would be exceedingly laborious, not to mention hazardous, if people had to rely solely on the effects of their own actions to inform them what to do," Bandura explained in his 1977 book Social Learning Theory. 4. Jean Piaget Jean Piaget's work had a profound influence on psychology, especially our understanding children's intellectual development. His research contributed to the growth of developmental psychology, cognitive psychology, genetic epistemology, and education reform. Albert Einstein once described Piaget's observations on children's intellectual growth and thought processes as a discovery "so simple that only a genius could have thought of it." 5. Carl Rogers Carl Rogers placed emphasis on human potential, which had an enormous influence on both psychology and education. He became one of the major humanist thinkers and an eponymous influence in therapy with his "Rogerian therapy." As described by his daughter Natalie Rogers, he was "a model for compassion and democratic ideals in his own life, and in his work as an educator, writer, and therapist." 6. William James Psychologist and philosopher William James is often referred to as the father of American psychology. His 1200-page text, The Principles of Psychology, became a classic on the subject and his teachings and writings helped establish psychology as a science. In addition, James contributed to functionalism, pragmatism, and influenced many students of psychology during his 35-year teaching career. 7. Erik Erikson Erik Erikson's stage theory of psychosocial development helped create interest and research on human development through the lifespan. An ego psychologist who studied with Anna Freud, Erikson expanded psychoanalytic theory by exploring development throughout the life, including events of childhood, adulthood, and old age. 8. Ivan Pavlov Ivan Pavlov was a Russian physiologist whose research on conditioned reflexes influenced the rise of behaviorism in psychology. Pavlov's experimental methods helped move psychology away from introspection and subjective assessments to objective measurement of behavior. 9. Kurt Lewin Lewin is known as the father of modern social psychology because of his pioneering work that utilized scientific methods and experimentation to look as social behavior. Lewin was a seminal

theorist whose enduring impact on psychology makes him one of the preeminent psychologists of the 20th-century. 10. Reader's Choice Following the examples of Eugene Garfield's 1977 ranking list and Haggbloom's 2002 ranking, the final position on this list has been left blank in order to allow "the reader's best case for a psychologist who should have made the list" (Haggbloom, 2002). CAREERS IN PSYCHOLOGY Career Psychologist School Psychologist Counselor Psychologist Genetic Psychologist Forensic Psychologist Engineering Psychologist Clinical Psychologist Sports Psychologist