Although today psychology is known mainly for its applications, the truth is that this science has not always been so interested in practice.

The appearance of what we know as “applied psychology” was key in the development of current psychology . In this article we will analyze what applied psychology is and what its objectives and most important aspects are.

Applied psychology: definition and objectives

Applied psychology consists of using the knowledge obtained and methods developed by basic psychology with the aim of solving everyday problems, increasing the quality of life or making groups of people function more adequately.

Although applied psychology is a very broad discipline, we can say that this concept refers to the practical side of psychology . Unlike applied psychology, psychological science in general does not necessarily deal with intervention but studies behaviour and mental processes.

Thus, while basic psychology includes disciplines such as social psychology, experimental psychology, evolutionary psychology or developmental psychology, applied psychology puts into practice the knowledge obtained by the aforementioned branches, as is the case with clinical psychology, educational psychology or human resources psychology.

However, the distinction between applied psychology and other aspects of psychology is not always clear, since theory and practice feed back on each other in a lively and constant way.

Münsterberg and the foundation of this discipline

The main pioneer of applied psychology is considered to be the German psychophysiologist Hugo Münsterberg . After studying with Wilhelm Wundt and founding a psychological laboratory in Freiburg, Münsterberg met William James, who invited him to work at Harvard University. It was in the United States that he gained the most recognition and fame.

Münsterberg’s works contributed to the development of many of the future fields of applied psychology , including clinical, forensic and organizational psychology.

Münsterberg’s work would be a fundamental reference for the application of psychological knowledge during the following decades, particularly after the creation of the International Association of Applied Psychology and the Second World War, when the American government began to hire public psychologists to increase their chances of emerging victorious from the conflict.

Aspects of applied psychology

The concept of “applied psychology” is very broad and therefore includes a large number of sub-disciplines. We are going to focus on briefly describing the objectives of the best known and defining branches of applied psychology .

1. Community Psychology

Community psychologists mainly use the knowledge gained from social psychology with the aim of improving the quality of life of large groups, such as slum dwellers. The greatest peculiarity of community psychology is that it focuses on macro-social aspects from a territorial perspective.

2. Organizational and human resources

The psychology of organizations focuses on preventing and solving problems that arise in the context of the company . On the other hand, the concept of “human resources” refers more specifically to the selection, training and management of personnel according to the objectives of the organisation.

3. Educational

Educational psychology is the application of scientific psychology to learning , fundamentally that carried out by children and adolescents during basic education. Educational psychology draws on theoretical branches such as developmental or cognitive psychology.

4. Clinic

Clinical psychology, probably the best known branch of psychological science, is concerned with studying, preventing and treating dysfunctional behaviour and improving mental well-being . Within clinical psychology, behaviour modification therapy is the theoretical orientation closest to the objective of applying the knowledge obtained through scientific research.

5. Environmental

This discipline applies the knowledge of psychology to the relationship of people with their environment , understanding the term in a broad sense; thus, environmental psychology would include both the arrangement of furniture to enhance work performance and the applications of psychology in nature conservation, among many other examples.

6. Health

The psychology of health analyses the relationship between behaviour and physical disorders, particularly chronic ones such as cardiovascular problems or asthma. This branch of psychology partially overlaps with clinical psychology and focuses on both prevention and treatment and management of disease.

7. Sport

Sports psychology works on the factors that affect sports performance in order to enhance it. Among others, sports psychology deals with the management of group conflicts in team sports and the reduction of anxiety in high performance competitions.

8. Forensic

Forensic psychology focuses on applying scientific psychology to legal processes. In addition to contributing to the investigation of crimes, forensic psychology can be used to resolve child custody disputes or analyze the validity of witness testimony, among other uses.

9. Advertising

The application of psychological knowledge to advertising is one of the oldest forms of applied psychology given its economic potential for private companies. The well-known subliminal images, for example, emerged in the context of psychology applied to advertising.