专业英语 心理学学科划分02Areas of Psychology.ppt

Areas of Psychology Areas of Psychology More Areas of?Psychology The American Psychological Association (APA) is devoted to the study and promotion of psychology. Because psychology is such a diverse subject, a number of different specialty areas and perspectives have emerged. The APA currently contains 53 separate divisions, each devoted to a specific area within psychology. Learn more about these divisions and the topics each seeks to www.APA.org . General Psychology General psychology offers an introduction and overview of the field of psychology. General psychology usually covers the history of psychology, basic psychology research methods, development, emotions, motivations, personality, perception, and much more. The topics covered in an introduction to psychology course encompass the subject matter of general psychology. Abnormal Psychology Abnormal Psychology is the study of abnormal behavior and psychopathology. This specialty area is focused on research and treatment of a variety of mental disorders and is linked to psychotherapy and clinical psychology. Mental health professional typically utilize the Diagnosistic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) to diagnose mental disorders. Biological Psychology Biological Psychology, also known as biopsychology, studies how biological processes influence the mind and behavior. This area is closely linked to neuroscience and utilizes tools such as MRI and PET scans to look at brain injury or brain abnormalities. Clinical psychology Clinical psychology is concerned with the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental disorders. While they often work in medical settings, they are not medical doctors and do not prescribe medications. Clinical psychology is the largest subfield within psychology. Specialty areas within clinical psychology include child mental health, adult mental health, learning disabilities, emotional disturbances, substance abuse, geriatrics, and health psychol