15 Types of Psychologists and Their Functions
The human being is a complex being made up of multiple facets and processes. For a proper approach to this complexity, the development of psychology in recent years is oriented to the division and specialization in various areas within the same discipline, with the aim of offering a competent response to the demands that arise from different sectors. If you want to know the different profiles of psychology professionals that exist and what their tasks are, keep reading this Psychology-Online article: 15 types of psychologists and their functions.
Branches of Psychology
Psychology is a discipline that has several years of development. In its origins, this science was mostly unitary, that is, there was no division and specialization as such. Generally, the approach and techniques used were similar regardless of the individuality and personal characteristics of each person. Likewise, in its beginnings, the field or area of work of psychology was limited to a few contexts and objects of study. However, this discipline is not static, so throughout its history it has adapted to the various phenomena and new contexts of a dynamic society, adopting new challenges and objects of study as well as incorporating knowledge and improving its techniques.
At present, this discipline has expanded enormously to other sectors of society, which is why it has expanded its field of study and has become more complex by dividing this science into different branches that thus promote specialization. This proliferation of specialties, currents and approaches enrich psychology, in the same way that they promote a specific, competent and individualized approach and intervention of the different demands.
For this reason, despite the fact that the general objective of psychology, and of all the branches that make it up, is the understanding of the processes of the human brain and its practical application, this can be raised and faced from very different facets or areas.
Types of Psychology
As for the types of psychology, the current reality is that there are a large number of branches within this science and on many occasions this branch has subdivisions or other branches. That is why it is difficult to establish in a concrete and definitive way how many types of psychology exist today. Furthermore, the dividing line between branches is sometimes blurred or ambiguous. Despite this, today a series of types or branches of psychology can be clearly identified:
Clinical psychology
Child and adolescent clinical psychology
psychogerontology
Psychotherapy
Educational psychology
Psychology of social intervention
Legal and forensic psychology
Traffic and safety psychology
Psychology of work and organizations
Psychology of sport and physical activity
Psychology of consumption, advertising and marketing
Neuropsicología
experimental psychology
Health Psychology
Sexology and couple
What types of psychologists are there?
There are a series of professional and labor competencies of psychologists that are required and applied transversally in any of the divisions of psychology. In addition to these transversal skills, there is a series of specific knowledge that is essential depending on the work context in which you work. This specificity is what differentiates a professional person in psychology from one field from another professional in a different area. Therefore, there are currently a large number of types of psychologists , due to the volume of branches of specialties that exist.
Likewise, it is important to emphasize that also within the same area of psychology there are differences in terms of approaches and the current that is adopted when working. Even so, there is no clear and defined consensus about the number of total professional profiles in psychology, these vary according to the country and the expert person who evaluates it, since there are currently no specific and determined criteria. In addition, due to the increasing application of psychology to almost all sectors of the population and to most phenomena, there is a tendency to expand and grow the professional categories of this discipline continuously. However, below we show you the most representative types of psychologistsand whose profile has been widely recognized.
The 15 types of psychologists and their functions
Not all people who are professionally dedicated to psychology perform the same tasks and tasks, in fact, depending on the specialty, they usually have very different functions and methodologies. Due to the existence of various branches or areas of psychology, a series of professional profiles of psychologists can be identified:
1. Clinical psychologist
Clinical psychology is the most popular and well-known branch of this science, it is dedicated to the evaluation and intervention of mental and emotional psychopathology. Therefore, its functions are to evaluate the person by exploring their vital areas and mental processes with the aim of establishing a diagnosis that allows psychological intervention and treatment that allows the person to improve their quality of life. In addition, clinical psychologists are trained in reporting, for advice and expert advice to various consulting organizations. Within clinical psychology there is the possibility of specializing in a group of disorders such as eating behavior, anxiety, etc.
2. Child and adolescent clinical psychologist
The child and adolescent clinical psychologist performs the same functions as a clinical psychologist, but his work is focused on a child and adolescent population sector. This is due to the fact that the problems, their manifestations and the interventions are different between this age group and adults. Likewise, to practice correctly in this area, knowledge about evolutionary or developmental psychology is very necessary compared to other branches of this discipline, and depending on the age of the patient, a greater or lesser part of the work or intervention is carried out with the family. The functions are those of evaluation, diagnosis and intervention and treatment.
3. Psychogerontologist
Due to the aging of the population, psychogerontology arises, whose main function is the study of old age and the promotion of the well-being of this sector of society. In general, the professionals who work in this area evaluate, intervene and accompany both the elderly person and their families in this process, they are also in charge of designing and implementing psychoeducational programs that promote dignified aging that is as active as possible and prevention of possible future health problems. Psychogerontology focuses its activity not only on the elderly person, but also on their formal and informal caregivers.
4. Psychotherapist
Psychotherapists also work from a clinical orientation, however they usually deal with less serious or more everyday problems than clinical psychologists, they do not normally intervene with people with serious psychopathological problems with a clinical diagnosis. Psychotherapy aims to improve the well-being of a person , promoting understanding and reflection about themselves and their problems, the expression of needs, the establishment of objectives and the acquisition of personal resources and coping tools.
5. Educational psychologist
Educational psychology professionals develop their work in the educational environment, where they focus on understanding learning processes and how they affect various factors such as the environment or the influence of the different agents involved in this process and performance. The functions of this type of psychology are the detection and intervention in the educational needs of students , school and professional orientation, intervention in the improvement of education and the prevention of problems associated with the educational environment. They can work both individually and jointly with other school agents, such as teachers.
6. Social psychologist
People who dedicate themselves to the psychology of social intervention guide their action towards individuals, groups and communities from a perspective that includes the social context and its influence on different processes and problems. Community psychologists present functions such as research on the context and its effects on different groups , an analysis of needs, the promotion of community revitalization and the planning, programming and evaluation of social intervention programs directed in many cases to collectives. vulnerable or at risk of social exclusion.
7. Legal and forensic psychologist
Legal and forensic psychologists work in the legal and criminal environment, so they need knowledge about the law and legal reality. Its functions are to carry out the expert opinion or evaluation of the legal actors , the preparation of reports, advice to other legal professionals in decision-making, intervention in the rehabilitation and reintegration of people who are serving sentences , as well as improvement of the victim's situation. In the following article you will find more information about forensic psychology.
8. Traffic and safety psychologist
Road psychologists carry out psychological examinations for driving licenses, weapons or other risky activities, as well as detect those that are not granted due to dangerousness. Likewise, they carry out advisory functions in children's road education, carry out accident prevention campaigns , rehabilitate people who have been injured, as well as carry out research and study work to promote safety in this area.
9. Psychology of work and organizations
The specialization in this area of psychology is dedicated and oriented towards the workplace and the functioning of organizations. They perform various functions, some of them are the selection, evaluation and orientation of personnel , professional orientation, evaluation and improvement of health conditions in the work environment and of the satisfaction of workers, promotion of a positive climate and a culture of the organization or development and training of company personnel. Here you will find more information about psychology applied to organizations and companies.
10. Psychologist of physical activity and sport
This discipline addresses the psychological factors in the field of sport, in the sports performance of those who engage in physical activity. An example of this is sport psychology in school and youth football . The functions of these types of psychologists are the psychic preparation of the athlete , the study of the influence of mental processes on physical ones, psychological intervention in the rehabilitation of an injury or the promotion of learning sport.
11. Psychologist of consumption, advertising and marketing
This area focuses on human behavior in relation to consumption and the design of market products. Among the functions of psychologists belonging to this branch are the study of perception, attention, motivation and their processes, the development of marketing strategies that are attractive and effective, market research and consumer trends of the population and its sectors, design and adaptation of advertising messages, design, implementation and evaluation of advertising campaigns, etc. For example, the psychology of color in marketing and advertising.
12. Neuropsicólogo
Neuropsychologists approach neurology from a psychological point of view. They carry out functions such as research on brain functions and regions and their relationship with psychological processes, evaluation, intervention and rehabilitation with people who have suffered brain damage, development of neuropsychological evaluation measures or early detection of brain conditions through changes in conduct.
13. Experimental psychologist
Experimental psychologists aim to research in the area of psychology and obtain new knowledge that can be applied in a practical way. In some cases, the experimental methodology is used, but currently there are multiple methods for research in addition to the experiment. His work consists of testing hypotheses, verifying results, studying the limitations of their generalization and obtaining significant data through the use of various experimental methodologies.
14. Health psychologist
Health psychology studies the factors that influence it from a biospicosocial perspective, that is, that includes a biological, psychological and social point of view. Its functions include research on lifestyles, behaviors and their impact on health, the promotion of healthy habits , the prevention of problems and diseases , incidence in health policies and their design, detection of risk and protection factors. of health etc.
15. Sexologist and couples therapist
Sexologists and couples therapists are dedicated to the area of sexuality and sexual-affective relationships. Its functions are the evaluation, diagnosis and intervention in disorders of sexuality or in couple problems , conducting couples therapy, promotion of sexual education, planning, design and dynamization of campaigns or workshops on healthy sexuality, prevention of transmission diseases sexual, pregnancies, risky or irresponsible behaviors in sex, etc. Here you will find more information about the role of the psychologist specializing in sexology.
