1.

Behavioral psychology

Behavior psychology aims to understand the most basic form of human actions.

 Behavioral psychologists conduct research to understand what drives human behavior

and how the mind connects behavior.

This type of psychology may involve improving negative behaviors, such as addictions.
Behavioral psychologists often work in universities or clinical settings like hospitals or
private practices.

Related: How To Become a Psychologist

2. Biopsychology

Biopsychology studies biological factors that may affect the brain and human behavior.

Biopsychologists study individuals and perform research to see if biological factors

impact how an individual feels, thinks and acts.

This field of psychology also looks at how brain injury and disease affect behavior. With
this information, researchers can work on determining ways to prevent and treat brain
trauma.

3. Clinical psychology

Clinical psychology, also called psychopathology or abnormal psychology, is the study

and treatment of mental illness.

Clinical psychologists provide therapy and create treatment plans for patients.
Practitioners within this discipline work in many settings, including hospitals, mental
health clinics and private practices.

Clinical psychologists may specialize in a certain demographic, such as veterans or

seniors, or a specific kind of mental illness, such as those that result from substance
abuse. This involves using psychological science to treat complex human issues and
may incorporate cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic and humanistic approaches.

Related: Careers in Psychology: What Does a Clinical Psychologist Do? 

4. Cognitive psychology

Cognitive psychology involves understanding how individuals think, including how they

perceive their environment, form memories, recall information, use language and solve
problems.
The discipline may investigate how people make decisions and solve problems, but they
can also research other topics like language development, memory and perception.
Cognitive psychologists also study learning disabilities and may support patients in their
educational endeavors.

Related: How To Become a Psychology Nurse

5. Community psychology

Community psychologists research health issues to educate society and create

programs that help prevent wide-reaching issues from occurring. For instance, they
might find solutions to environmental problems or political disputes.

Community psychologists commonly work in schools, community organizations,

charities and government agencies. One main focus of community psychology is
improving the community and the people who live within it.

Related: 15 Entry-Level Jobs in Psychology

6. Comparative psychology

Comparative psychology examines the similarities and differences between the

behavior of humans and that of their animal counterparts.

Those who work in comparative psychology may observe how animals behave and
respond to certain situations or stimuli, using those results to better understand human
behavior. The foundation of this discipline is the underlying assumption that the laws of
behavior are constant across all species.

7. Consumer psychology

Consumer or marketing psychology is the study of customer behavior. Consumer

psychology can help organizations identify their target audiences, the driving factors
behind purchasing behaviors and how consumers feel about a particular product or
service.

Consumer psychologists conduct market research surveys, form focus groups and
observe consumers in retail settings.

Related: What Is the Psychology of Sales? (And Why It's Important)

8. Critical psychology

Critical psychology is the study of the discipline itself. Critical psychologists look at how
psychology evolves and seek to identify any associated trends that might benefit the
field. This reflective and analytical approach challenges mainstream conventions to
build a more comprehensive discipline prioritizing social justice and equality.

9. Developmental psychology

Developmental psychology concentrates on the human lifespan and the behaviors,

languages and disabilities present at various life stages. While some developmental
psychologists may focus on a specific life stage, such as childhood or adolescence,
others study the entire lifespan.

Developmental psychologists perform tasks ranging from diagnosing developmental

delays in children to researching aging issues. They may teach and perform research in
universities or serve as consultants in social service agencies.

Related: What Can You Do With a Child Psychology Degree? (10 Jobs)

10. Educational psychology

Educational psychology studies how humans learn and use their findings to create
resources to improve the learning process.

Individuals working in educational psychology may provide teaching techniques for

certain groups of students, like those with learning disabilities and those who
demonstrate excellence in learning. Educational psychologists also research how
cognitive and social elements can affect learning.

11. Environmental psychology

Environmental psychology studies the relationship between people and how they live
and interact with their surroundings.

Environmental psychologists also want to understand how human behavior impacts

their environment, whether it be natural or artificial. Many environmental psychologists
confer with government agencies to help develop policies directly related to resource
protection and pollution prevention.

12. Evolutionary psychology

Evolutionary psychology is the study of how humans have changed throughout time.
More specifically, the discipline focuses on how humans have adjusted their
psychological mindsets to account for the evolutionary process.

An evolutionary psychologist may look into the adaptability of humans and what has
allowed the species to survive for thousands of years.

Related: All About Psychology Jobs and Common Careers

13. Forensic psychology

Forensic psychologists work closely with law enforcement and other agencies that may
be part of the criminal justice system.

This field involves understanding more about criminals and their behavior, working with
children serving as witnesses in a criminal situation and evaluating a crime scene to
determine how a criminal may have navigated the scene. A forensic psychologist may
also provide therapy to crime victims.

Related: Criminal Psychology vs. Forensic Psychology: Key Differences

14. Health psychology

Health psychology studies mental and physical well-being and how the two interact
based on many factors, like behavior, biology and social groups.

Health psychologists may research how they can use these factors to improve an
individual's overall health and wellness or treat a particular illness they may have.
Individuals who work in health psychology educate their patients about what they can
do to remain healthy, provide therapy and educate patients on coping mechanisms. 

15. Industrial-organizational psychology

Industrial-organizational psychology focuses on mental health in the workplace. It's the

study of employee motivation and how organizations can increase team productivity,
retain employees and increase overall job satisfaction by using performance
measurement and reward systems.

Many businesses use industrial-organizational psychologists to develop tests that serve

as a screening tool for specific positions within the company.

Related: Business Psychology Jobs: 7 Careers You Can Pursue

16. Military psychology

Military psychologists work to provide therapy to servicemembers. They may also

acclimate soldiers to civilian life and help individuals in the military handle stress. Many
military psychologists assist with developing recruitment strategies and help leaders
understand how to motivate soldiers and work with those experiencing emotional
distress.

17. Neuropsychology

Neuropsychology studies the brain and how it affects our behaviors and psychological
thoughts.
A neuropsychologist may work with patients who have experienced a brain injury or
illness, like a stroke or dementia, to understand how their diagnosis impacts their
behavior. They may also work with other health care professionals to develop treatment
plans.

Related: 19 Types of Psychology Major Specializations

18. Personality psychology

Personality psychology studies an individual's attributes and how they can affect their
behavior. These psychologists may seek to understand environmental and biological
factors that influence one's personality. They also study and treat personality disorders
and may conduct personality testing as part of a pre-employment screening process.

19. Psychometric psychology

Psychometric psychology focuses on developing psychological tests and assisting in

their administration to specific people or groups. These tests can be helpful for
understanding employees, customers, patients or children. Examples of tests include IQ
and aptitude tests that measure an individual's intelligence and ability to perform certain
tasks.

20. Research psychology

Research psychology, also called experimental psychology, involves studying memory,

decision-making, attention, learning, perception, sensation, or emotion.

Research psychologists typically publish their findings and share their results with
others in the field to provide valuable information that expands industry knowledge. The
process also involves designing and monitoring experiments and developing
hypotheses. The research typically occurs in university settings and 

21. School psychology

School psychologists work in educational settings to assist students. They may evaluate
and treat issues related to social settings, academics and behavior.

School psychologists develop plans alongside teachers, parents and administrative

staff to address any situation where a student may face a particular challenge.

One goal of school psychology is to create a learning environment that's safe and
productive for everyone. These psychologists may also meet with students who would
benefit from advice and therapy to handle a stressor in school.

Related: School Psychology vs. Clinical Psychology: What's the Difference?

22. Social psychology

Social psychology studies groups and how individual members influence each other. It
also involves understanding how those in particular social situations behave and
analyzing topics like aggression, prejudice or interpersonal attraction.

A social psychologist may evaluate attitudes, communication styles and other types of
behavior, such as aggression. They might work at universities or perform research in
business, health care or government agencies.

23. Sport psychology

Sport psychology focuses on helping athletes enhance their performance, overcome

problems and achieve their goals. The field emphasizes team-building, positive
communication, anxiety reduction and injury recovery.

A sports psychologist can work with amateur or professional teams. In university

settings, they might study violence, stereotyping and gender or racial bias.

24. Behavioral neuroscience

Behavioral neuroscience studies the most basic anatomical and physiological aspects
of the nervous system. Examples of the field's focus include the structure and functions
of brain cells.

It might also observe how factors like drugs can affect these structures and mental
processes. Most behavioral neuroscientists work in university, government or private
labs.

25. Rehabilitation psychology

Rehabilitation psychology helps people with disabilities and chronic health issues.
Psychologists in this field teach coping mechanisms and ways patients can improve
their lives. They typically work in rehabilitation centers, assisted living facilities and long-
term care hospitals.