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. Millions of young and old people live with developmental disabilities or are navigating the recovery journey after experiencing trauma or injury. For those recovering from traumatic events or injuries, the road can often involve relearning basic skills or adjusting to a new way of life. Developmental psychologists play a pivotal role in this process. They utilize their understanding of human development to design tailored interventions and therapeutic strategies, helping individuals regain lost capabilities or develop alternative ways to achieve their goals. Whether it’s assisting a child who has undergone traumatic events to relearn social skills or helping an adult adapt to cognitive changes after a brain injury, these professionals apply their knowledge in tangible ways that can transform lives.

Through various job positions and responsibilities, developmental psychologists can make a significant difference in someone’s life and contribute profoundly to psychology.

Interested in developmental psychology? Read on for information about salary, job responsibilities, and where you can look for work as a developmental psychologist.

What Does a Developmental Psychologist Do?Job RequirementsSalary (How Much Do Developmental Psychologists Make?)Schools for Developmental Psychology DegreesCompanies That Hire Developmental PsychologistsInterviews with a Developmental PsychologistFamous Developmental PsychologistsA Glimpse into a Research Study in Developmental PsychologyDevelopmental Psychology Examples

What Does a Developmental Psychologist Do?

Job Requirements

Salary (How Much Do Developmental Psychologists Make?)

Schools for Developmental Psychology Degrees

Companies That Hire Developmental Psychologists

Interviews with a Developmental Psychologist

Famous Developmental Psychologists

A Glimpse into a Research Study in Developmental Psychology

Developmental Psychology Examples

Developmental psychologists gather and apply human behavior and development knowledge to various settings, including healthcare facilities and schools. They specifically focus on growth: mental, emotional, cognitive, and sometimes even physical growth. In these settings, they aim for clients and humans to reach their potential and continue growing.

For one developmental psychologist, this could look like researching how our mind grows and changes after trauma. Another psychologist may work directly with adults with developmental disabilities under state care. Yet another developmental psychologist may coordinate psychology services for all children in a large school district.

The one common denominator between all developmental psychologists is that they have studied growth and development. They have a good grasp of how the mind grows and develops at all stages of life.

Like most psychologists, developmental psychologists need a doctorate to practice in most job positions. Colleges and universities offer various degrees in psychology, but a Ph.D. or PsyD in clinical psychology focusing on developmental psychology is preferred.

Once you have obtained this degree, you can focus on getting board-certified in Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology. This isn’t required for every job but may be worth looking into, depending on where you want to work. Board certification requires passing exams and completing a clinical internship.

Other job requirements may involve experience in certain settings or certifications. Each state, type of organization, and field is different.

Developmental Psychologist Reported SalaryLowAverageHighSalary.com$53,814$71,580$89,482ZipRecruiter$18,000$72,767$155,500Glassdoor$35,000$72,950$150,000

Developmental Psychologist Reported Salary

Low

Average

High

Salary.com

$53,814

$71,580

$89,482

ZipRecruiter

$18,000

$72,767

$155,500

Glassdoor

$35,000

$72,950

$150,000

Where do developmental psychologists work? A lot of different places! Developmental psychologists who specialize in helping adults with disabilities share the same title as developmental psychologists who are conducting research at universities, and they have very different employers. All of these companies and organizations may be looking for developmental psychologists:

You can also watch interviews with developmental psychologists on YouTube. Kevin David is a developmental psychologist and a professor at Northeastern State University!

You can also go through the day in the life of a developmental psychology student with a gratitude student from UMD!

How is developmental psychology applied to everyday life? Take a listen to Angela Duckworth, author ofGrit. She discusses how working as a developmental psychologist helped her research and write her best-selling book!

Developmental psychology has changed and evolved over decades - we’re still trying to answer big questions about development and growth! These are some names you might hear as you study and read about developmental psychology:

Developmental psychology research aims to understand how people grow and change. Such studies often involve long-term observations, complex experiments, and collecting varied data sets to understand developmental patterns and anomalies.

Initiating a Research Study

A developmental psychologist may start with a hypothesis or a specific question. For instance, they might be curious about the effects of bilingual upbringing on cognitive development in children. With this hypothesis, they would design a research study comparing the cognitive abilities of children in bilingual homes and those in monolingual environments.

Day-to-Day in the Study:

Challenges

Research in developmental psychology can be time-consuming, particularly if it’s a longitudinal study observing changes over time. There are also ethical considerations, especially when working with minors or vulnerable populations.

Endgame

Once the study is concluded, researchers will interpret their findings, draw conclusions, and typically publish their results in scientific journals. They might also present their findings at conferences.

A Day in the Life of a Developmental Psychologist:

Like growth, developmental psychologists change and have different responsibilities throughout their careers. As a developmental psychologist, you might find yourself:

Reference this article:Practical Psychology. (2021, June).Developmental Psychologist Career (Salary + Duties + Interviews).Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/developmental-psychologist/.Practical Psychology. (2021, June). Developmental Psychologist Career (Salary + Duties + Interviews). Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/developmental-psychologist/.Copy

Reference this article:

Practical Psychology. (2021, June).Developmental Psychologist Career (Salary + Duties + Interviews).Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/developmental-psychologist/.Practical Psychology. (2021, June). Developmental Psychologist Career (Salary + Duties + Interviews). Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/developmental-psychologist/.Copy

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