You might be familiar with the idea that psychologists study the mind, but have you ever wondered if psychologists also delve into the intricacies of the brain? The distinction between the “mind” and the “brain” is not just semantic but also pertains to the academic focus and domain of study. In psychology, the “mind” predominantly refers to the intangible facets such as thoughts, images, and emotions that aren’t physically observable. When you process or internalize these words, it’s an activity of your mind....

There is a misunderstanding that all “psychologists” are therapists - that they spend their days in their office, listening to people talk about their problems and asking deeper questions that get to the heart of specific behaviors, memories, and traumas. Not all psychologists do this type of work. A criminal psychologist, for example, may spend their time studying crime and giving expert testimony in court. A biological psychologist may be focused on research in a specific niche that not all psychologists have studied....

Yes, you can! Criminal psychologists do the work that true crime experts love to explore daily. Their job isn’t always as fabulous as recording a podcast and not as exciting as Clarice Starling’s. Still, it is helping people understand what motivates someone to commit theft, burglary, or murder. What does a Criminal Psychologist Do?Job RequirementsSalarySchools for Criminal Psychology DegreesCompanies That Hire Criminal PsychologistsInterviews with a Criminal PsychologistFamous Criminal PsychologistsCriminal Psychology Examples...

Despite these advancements, many psychologists remain deeply interested in the foundational principles of behaviorism and continue to explore the study of behavior and the application of behavioral psychology. What does a behavioral psychologist do? Keep reading to learn more about what this career looks like and how you can become a behavioral psychologist! What Does a Behavioral Psychologist Do?What Is Behaviorism?Job RequirementsSalarySchools for Behavioral Psychology DegreesCompanies That Hire Behavioral PsychologistsInterviews with a Behavioral PsychologistFamous Behavioral PsychologistsBehavioral Psychology ExamplesLongitudinal Methods: Tracing Behavioral Changes Over Time...

Childhood is a critical period of development, where foundations for future thought processes, behaviors, and emotional patterns are established. Working with children offers a unique opportunity to witness and understand the evolution of human cognition, emotion, and behavior from its nascent stages. While children often express themselves in endearing and unpredictable ways, their words and actions provide profound insights into the broader facets of human development. What Does a Child Psychologist Do?...

How do we get to be the person that we are today? This question is one that many psychologists are still trying to answer, although theories in modern psychology have provided substantial insights. We can thank developmental psychologists for their dedication to understanding human development and how we grow from infants to children to functioning adults in society. Developmental psychologists aren’t just looking for answers. They are applying what they have learned to a variety of settings....

You can, as a forensic psychologist. Forensic psychology, recognized as a specialty in 2001, is the study of human behavior related to the legal system. Not everyone with a specialty in this field has the same job. While some forensic psychologists may work directly with offenders to help them transition back into society, others may take the stand to share their knowledge in criminal and civil cases. If you are interested in both how the mind works and how our legal system works, keep reading....

What motivates you? What gets you out of bed in the morning, making a coffee or an egg sandwich? What motivates you to go to your job, adopt a cat, rent an apartment, or download a dating app? The answers to these questions aren’t always the same, and they even change daily! You may feel motivated to do a great job one day, but the next day you don’t even want to clock in....

How does a person end up experiencing homelessness? Is it because they ran into some tough situations…or because they’re lazy? Why does a person resort to crime? Is it because they feel that they have no other choice but to support their family…or because they’re a violent person? Why do certain people join cults? Is it because they happened to search for answers and run into manipulative people…or are they just stupid?...

The COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t just a tough time in world history - it was also specifically a dividing and polarizing time in American history. The country was gearing up for one of the most contentious elections that anyone could remember. Divisions were drawn between Democrats and Republicans; “pro-maskers” and “anti-maskers,” people who waited for the COVID-19 vaccination and those who only believed it would cause more harm. And what’s worse, there was little contact between these two groups....

How do you motivate your friend to be the designated driver on a night out? Maybe you buy them food and non-alcoholic drinks throughout the night. How do you motivate a child to clean their room? You might offer them a sticker every time their room is clean. How do you motivate yourself to eat healthier? You might hang a dress of your “desired” size in your closet. These are all very different ways to motivate people to do different things, but they have one thing in common: they are all incentives....

Let’s talk about memories. We owe a lot to our memories. We wouldn’t be able to tie our shoes or climb a mountain if we didn’t have the memories of how to practice these skills. The memory of traffic rules keeps us safe on the road. Remembering all of our coworkers’ names saves us a lot of embarrassment. In order to study memory and how they contribute to our overall intelligence and growth, we must identify the different types of memories that we hold....

We have all heard theories about how our parents influence our dating life. Some people say that we tend to date people that look like our parents. Others believe we look for romantic partners who can provide us with what our parents did not. While all of these theories sound a little cringe, we all have a close friend or even a sibling that ends up proving some of these theories right....