From Xanax to Xanadu, panic attacks to “Massive Attack”, the effects of crowded urban stress on suicide rates, the culpability of music on a teenage gun toting rampage -
Psychologists are asked to solve it all ! They are the new high priest-confessor, shaman , detective, doctor, scientist, judge and jury rolled into one. Dysfunctional behavior is the new “norm”.
Psychologists can be relationship counsellors, trauma therapists , life coaches or horse whisperers .
Like the proverbial Greek hydra, the multi headed monster, modern psychology has evolved from being the “science of the mind” or , to get the “Skinner”-y on it -the science of behavior , to having as many faces as “Eve/Yves” .
There are many new specialised fields in psychology created to deal with rapid societal changes. Along with politically correct terminology,”retarded” is OUT, “disabled” is IN ,there are enough acronyms to confuse an ESL major- OCD, CBT, CSI, PTSD, ADHD !
Accepted , traditional fields include Clinical Psychology – made famous in such movies as “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest .” This deals with the diagnosis and treating of mental disorders. The textbook areas of study include intelligence, cognition, learning, perception, motivation, emotion and personality .
The “Nature vs. Nurture” conundrum has given way to studying out the interconnection between genetics and environment in individual differences .
The many fields of psychology include educational psychology, child psychology,social, comparative and sports psychology . Scientific method used covers observation, interviews, psychological testing, laboratory experiments and analysis of statistical data.
Forensic psychologists now are called on to help create personality profiles of criminals , advise on the principles of jury selection or study the testimony of eyewitnesses. They can testify as to whether a defendant is or is not mentally capable and responsible. Environmental psychologists look at the effects of building design, noise, and urban crowding on city dwellers. They are the psychological equivalents of “Feng Shui” inner peace .
Is mental health related to personal wealth ? Can anyone afford not to be sick ?
Psychologists are here to stay !
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