Clinical Psychology

Psychology is one of the broadest and diverse fields. There are number of different subfields and specialty areas have emerged. Clinical psychology, another important area of psychology mainly focuses on the assessment, diagnosis and even the treatment of the mental disorders.

Clinical psychology includes the scientific study and application of psychology for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well-being and personal development. Central to its practice are psychological assessment and psychotherapy, although clinical psychologists also engage in research, teaching, consultation, forensic testimony, and program development and administration. In many countries clinical psychology is a regulated mental health profession.

There are many areas of specialization within clinical psychology, like: health, neuropsychology (focus: the brain), geropsychology (focus: the elderly), counseling and social behavior therapy. Neuropsychologists study things like the medical symptoms behind schizophrenia, dementias or other mental disorders. No matter what form of psychology is focused upon, the main intent is to promote mental health, design new programs and help families deal with mental illness.

In practice, clinical psychology may work with individuals, couples, families, or groups in a variety of settings, including private practices, hospitals, mental health organizations, schools, businesses, and non-profit agencies. Most clinical psychologists who engage in research and teaching do so within a college or university setting.

Since clinical psychology receive less schooling than psychiatrists, many medical doctors downplay the importance of therapy. However, one need only pick up a journal of psychiatry to see that psychotherapy is still a valid profession and one that can supplement medication for unbelievable results.

Social Psychology

Psychological research is a vital necessity towards further development within society. Psychology is a varied discipline that covers many areas of study, and as such requires divisional areas of research, along with practical and effective research designs.

Social Psychology is a discipline in that how we psychologically affect each other as individuals in everyday society, and how opinions, superstitions and stereotypes lay their foundations in this vital area. An example research of social psychology would be a study of the types of writing styles and attitudes on an internet forum, and how it relates to the forum subject area.

Social psychology is however focused not just on consumption and public attitudes on advertising, but also on group behavior, general individual and collective attitudes towards various social issues including war, work, violence and quality of life. This would in turn explain how individuals deal with stress, and focus on the psychological consequences of stress.


The various aspects of social psychology could be examined within the wide concepts of intelligence, gender, advertising, consumer culture, stress and psychological issues that define society. Considering consumer behavior, social psychology uses convincing theories to explain addictive consumption, the influence of advertising and the phenomenon of purchasing.

Social psychology subfield looks at how these jurors interact and arrive at a unanimous decision. These branches of forensic psychology allow the psychologists to work together with other people from different fields.