SPECIALTIES IN PSYCHOLOGY

1.0 INTRODUCTION

In unit 3, we discussed some basic concepts in psychology. The unit also served to introduce us to other units in this course. You can now explain tire concepts of learning, maturation, growth and development. You are about to study another interesting and practical unit: specialties in psychology. We will now consider the areas in which psychology can be applied. Let us look at what other contents you should learn in this unit as specified in the objective below:

2.0 OBJECTIVES

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:
describe some of the main psychological influences on human behaviour.

3.0 MAIN CONTENT

3.1 Development Psychology

Developmental psychology is a broad field of interest in which the physical, emotional and intellectual characteristics and development of youngsters from pre-natal stage onwards are studied. In addition to this are changes in many other forms of activity, for example, the acquisition of language or the growth of a sense of morality.

3.2 Educational Psychology

An educational psychologist will use the subject matter of psychology mainly to help children going through the education system. You should note also tha1 educational psychology seeks to discover by studying the mental, physical, social and emotional behaviour of children and adults, the factors which influence the quality and quantity of learning. Thus, if a particular child is experiencing difficulty with his/her school work, or is being disruptive in the classroom, the psychologist may examine the child to try to establish what might be causing the problem. Let us cite an example: the teacher may conduct an I.Q. test on the child, or interview the individual and the parents. Following such an assessment the psychologist may be able to recommend the best way in which the school might deal with the individual or meet his/her needs.


The application of psychology in education therefore gives us a means of appraising children’s similarities and differences when attempting to create more efficient learning environments for them.
The application of psychology in education also provides us with a means 0 making evaluations of our own strengths and weaknesses as learners and teachers (Alhassan, 2000).1n the light of our discussion above, educational psychology could be seen as a fundamental discipline in education,
performing functions similar to what the pure sciences (physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology) do to applied sciences (engineering, architecture, town planning, estate management and food technology). In fact, Gage and Berliner (1979) argued that teachers combine insight from educational psychology with philosophical reasoning.

3.3 Social Psychology

Social psychology is the study of social institutions and their impact on the behaviour of individuals. It concentrates on the external agencies which influence man. Social psychologists would be interested in the study of family, village, and role of the head teacher or effect of family background on achievement at school.
It is now time for you to check your level of understanding of our discussion.

SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 1

1.  Would you say developmental psychology is a broad area of interest? 
2.  List any 4 areas that may generate research interest in social psychology 

3.4 Physiological Psychology

The domain of the physiological psychology is the examination of the biological best bases of behaviour with particular reference to the biochemical reactions underlying memory and learning, and the role of various portions of the brain in the regulation of such motives as hunger and thirst, and such basic processes as sleep.

3.5 Clinical Psychology

A clinical psychologist is someone who specialises in the treatment of those with behavioural problems and mental illness. Such a person will have received specialized training, usually involving a further three year course of study. You should note that to clinical psychologists often work within hospitals or specialist psychiatric facilities and many sometimes are part of a team comprising psychiatrists, nurses, and so on. Clinical psychiatrists often work to help those with relatively minor behavioural disorders, such as phobias.

3.6 Occupational Health Psychology

Occupational health psychology focuses on work environment, the individual, and the work-family interface. It concerns the application psychology to improve the quality of work life and to protect and promote the safety, health and well being of workers.

3.7 Cardiac Psychology

This studies the workings of the heart -a cardiac structure of the transport system in higher animals and the centre of emotions, especially love and the mind, what a person thinks or feels, conscious thoughts of patients (The monitor APA, 1998).

3.8 Psychology of Law

Both psychology and law deal generally on human behaviour with reference to testimony, evidence, influences, crime, truancy, delinquency, and emotion. Psychology has a great deal to offer any law enforcement agency -large or small. Law enforcement officers and their management structure face a considerable variety of problems, many of which can be addressed by knowledgeable and skillful professional psychologists. It is important for you to note that whether psychological services can be effective depends on the degree to which police managers accept that understanding human behaviour can further the goals and purposes of law enforcement

3.8.1 Community Psychology

The main thrust of community psychology is in the direction of family-care programmes and programmes in child guidance and rehabilitation centres. 

3.9 Forensic Psychology

This is the branch of psychology that will be of most interest to those studying this course. It involves mainly the application of psychology to the area of crime and the legal system. Note that forensic psychology is applicable in many other areas.
Forensic psychology studies psychological damages, forensic examination, expert testimony in employment -related disputes, doomsday cults, secret societies and militias: brain washing, madness, criminality, sexual predator laws, patient estimate of pain, child-custody decision-making, child-sexual behaviour in relation to abuse variable, treating psychological disturbances caused by motor accidents, and forensic evaluation of sexual harassment (The monitor APA, 1998).
Now, take a short break of2 minutes. Let us continue by checking your progress in understanding our discussion.

SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 2

1. Given our discussion so far, which of the areas of psychology will you want to specialize in? 
2. Why do you prefer that specialty? 

You deserve commendation for active participation in our discussion. Let us continue.

3.9.1 Psychology of Politics

It is that body of knowledge which lies somewhere between individual psychology and political science, just as social psychology and sociology. It deals with the problems of control of behaviour among groups, with the study of organizations of people in conflict. It refers also to the ways and means, the methods and techniques by which politicians particularly partisan politicians, promise the masses various things, such as paradise, having all their villages air-conditioned, and so on; when in reality, the masses, particularly in developing countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America are always forgotten once such politicians are on the seat of power.

Such politicians manipulate and exploit the needs and aspirations of the gullible masses to their advantage. It is important for you to note that the psychology of politics is practiced in the developed and developing countries. However in the former, the level of literacy is comparatively high and the electorate is far more sophisticated. These factors make the practice of both politics and the psychology of politics much more demanding. Conversely, in the developing countries the level of literacy is comparatively low and the citizens are both less
sophisticated and more gullible. This makes it easier for politicians in the developing countries to practice the .psychology of politics on the people. 

3.9.2 Feminist Psychology

This branch of psychology is on how widely-held feminist tenets -such as empowering individuals, valuing diversity, and creating dialogue -can be integrated across the field of psychology.

3.9.3 Disability and Health Psychology

This studies the interplay between psychological health and medical conditions, it introduces information on the nature of different types of disabilities and the ways in which duabi1ity -specific factors such as age of onset, duration of the disability and how the disability was acquired -all towards psychological adjustment.

3.9.4 Philosophical Counseling

Unlike the approach of counseling psychology, the approach of philosophical counseling is more open-ended and reflective- there are no fixed ideas or goals. The possibilities of cross-fertilization between philosophy and psychology are wonderful.


It is important for you to know that there are many ways in which meaningful life changes can occur through education, one form of which is the discussion of philosophical issues. Gerad Achenbach is believed to be the first to revive the profession of philosophical counseling when in 1981 he founded a suicide-prevention organization called the Samaritan (Phillips, 1997:12). In his work, Achenbach believed that the counter between the philosopher and the client was of the paramount importance, and that the aim was not healing but arriving at a satisfactory self- explanation and clarification. You must remember that philosophical practice has been a world-wide movement that is starting to flourish in Germany, the Nether- lands, the USA, Canada, Britain, France, Israel and South Africa. It is to be noted that each of these countries now has its own certification organization.

3.9.5 Police Psychology

We must of course add police psychology, as this is the subject matter of another unit in this course. In the unit, you will see the extent to which
psychology might be useful in the training of police recruits and in everyday policing.

4.0 CONCLUSION

In this unit, you have learnt branches of psychology. You have therefore learnt the areas in which psychology can be applied. We can now say that there is no discipline that has no psychological perspective. For example, as we discussed earlier, we have developmental psychology, social psychology, clinical psychology, and psychology of politics among others. 5.0 SUMMARY

1.  What you have learnt in this unit concerns the specialties in psychology. 
2.  You also learnt occupational health psychology, psychology of law, forensic psychology, feminist psychology, and police psychology. 
3. The unit has served to indicate what you will learn in other units later in your course. 
4. The units that follow shall build upon this interesting and revealing unit. In this way, you will gain a better understanding of the contents. 

6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT

l. a. Two things that the educational psychologist will do are:

i. ……………………………………………………..…….


ii. …………………………………………………………... b. The social psychologist will be interested in the study of two areas.


These are:


i. ……………………………………………………...…………


ii. ……………………………………………………………… c. Occupational health psychology concerns the application of


psychology to:


i. …………………………………...……………………………


ii. ……………………………………...………………………… d. Describe clinical psychology.


e. What is forensic psychology?