Applied psychology

Applied psychology is the use of psychological principles and theories to overcome problems in other areas, such as mental health, business management, education, health, product design, ergonomics, and law. Applied psychology includes the areas of industrial/organizational psychology, human factors, forensic psychology, engineering psychology, as well as many other areas such as school psychology, sports psychology, and community psychology. Furthermore, these specializations within applied psychology require practitioners to use their foundational knowledge to tackle practical problems in these areas and create real-world solutions.

History

The field of applied psychology emerged in the late 19th century, as a response to the need for scientific approaches to address societal issues. The first applied psychology laboratories were established in the 1890s by Hugo Münsterberg and Walter Dill Scott. The early work in applied psychology included studies of advertising and business, as well as the use of psychological testing in the military and schools.

Branches of Applied Psychology

Industrial/Organizational Psychology

Industrial/organizational psychology is concerned with the study of human behavior in the workplace. It involves the application of psychological theories and principles to understand the behavior and needs of employees and employers, and to apply this understanding to improve the quality of work life.

Forensic Psychology

Forensic psychology involves the application of psychological principles to the legal system. It includes areas such as criminal profiling, competency evaluations, and psychological autopsies.

Health Psychology

Health psychology is concerned with understanding how biological, psychological, and social factors affect health and illness. Health psychologists study how patients handle illness, why some people don’t follow medical advice and the most effective ways to control pain or change poor health habits.

Education and Training

Applied psychologists typically hold a doctorate degree in psychology. They may also hold a master's degree in a specific area of psychology, such as industrial/organizational psychology or forensic psychology. Training in applied psychology includes coursework in the applied areas of psychology, research methods, and general psychology.

See Also

• Clinical psychology
• Counseling psychology
• Educational psychology
• School psychology
• Social psychology