The study and application of psychology is very useful in different areas, and the work of psychologists is beneficial in different areas. It should not be forgotten that there are many specializations in this discipline and, although many people associate the figure of this professional with the clinical or psychopathological field, we can also find psychologists working in companies, in the world of marketing, in sports clubs and even in schools.

The study and application of psychology is beneficial both to improve the well-being and mental health of individuals, as well as to foster interpersonal relationships, improve sports or organizational performance, help groups function better and much more.

The psychologist is a professional who, from a scientific viewpoint, studies how people and groups think, feel and behave, and has the knowledge, techniques and tools to diagnose and intervene in different problems that may arise at a mental, behavioural, relational level…

Psychology is not just about dealing with psychopathologies

Erroneously, there is a popular belief (although to a lesser extent) that the psychologist is dedicated solely and exclusively to dealing with patients with psychological disorders.

The reality is that psychology professionals carry out different functions, and although one of them is to diagnose and treat the psychological problems of some people, this professional is present in different environments, which do not necessarily have to do with a hospital or a psychology clinic.

For example, psychologists can work in companies carrying out personnel selection processes or participating in the training of workers, they can act in schools so that children with special educational difficulties can improve their academic performance and have the same opportunities and the same rights as any child of their age.

An athlete (e.g. a tennis player) can also work directly to get more out of his training or the competitions he participates in, and learn to better manage his emotions to perform at a high level during a championship. The benefits of psychology are multiple , and psychologists, with their effort and dedication, contribute to this.

What are the branches of psychology?

As you can see, psychologists participate in different fields of application , because psychology can have as many facets as activities performed by human beings. Some of the most important branches of psychology are

1. Organizational Psychology and Human Resources

Psychologists can participate in companies by carrying out different functions, among them, selection of personnel, training or reduction of work stress.

Marketing and consumer psychology can also belong to the area of organizational psychology, and is responsible for conducting research aimed at creating services and products that are attractive to the customer. It is also in charge of establishing communication strategies that are more useful, and makes efforts to provide knowledge about neuromarketing, among many other functions.

2. Social and community psychology

One of the branches of psychology that currently generates the greatest interest is social and community psychology, which focuses on the collective and the relationships between people in a context . It takes into account group processes and how social and relational dynamics affect individuals.

3. Clinical and health psychology

It consists of research and intervention focused on psychological problems and the well-being of people .

While clinical psychology directly addresses psychological problems, whether or not they are very serious, health psychology professionals often focus their work on improving the well-being and quality of life of some individuals who do not necessarily suffer from mental disorders. For example, cancer patients, in the case of the specialization in Psycho-oncology.

4. Educational and developmental psychology

These professionals may or may not work in schools, but their work usually focuses on the processes of learning and education. For example, working with individuals suffering from ADHD or improving the relationship between family and school.

Developmental psychology is often linked to educational psychology. However, although some of the functions in both areas may overlap, developmental psychology focuses on the psychological and behavioural changes that occur at different stages of life, from childhood to old age.

5. Sexology

This area aims to apply psychology to the resolution of problems related to sexuality (erectile dysfunction, paraphilias, lack of sexual desire, etc.), as well as to contribute to improving the sexual performance of individuals.

  • You may be interested in: “Studying Sexology: 8 reasons that can convince you”

Benefits of Psychology

Therefore, psychology has many fields of application, and all of them are very useful for people in different aspects. It is necessary to stop linking the science of behavior to psychopathology , since psychology positively affects many areas of our lives and different contexts.

In short, the benefits of psychology are:

  1. To improve the communicative and relational skills of people.
  2. To help improve EQ and conflict resolution and to help better manage other related issues (e.g. stress).
  3. Improving relationships and family and, of course, their welfare.
  4. Maximize people’s potential and their own personal development through self-knowledge, planning and improving one’s motivation.
  5. Improve the quality of life of people with diseases (for example, diabetes or cancer).
  6. To diagnose and intervene in overcoming different mental disorders.
  7. Improve knowledge of the structure and functioning of our brain, and help understand and improve cognitive functions such as memory.
  8. Improve the teaching and learning processes , and work together with the teaching staff to motivate all students.
  9. Create a better group climate, for example, in schools or organizations.
  10. Improve the processes of evaluation and incorporation of changes. These changes can be of all kinds, for example, when dealing with drug addicts.
  11. Improve the processes of personnel selection, teamwork, production of a company and welfare of employees.
  12. Psychological interventions can reduce the need for pharmacological treatment .

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  13. Positive manipulation of sport-related psychological variables For example, self-confidence, level of activation, aggressiveness, constancy or team cohesion.