What is Behavioral Psychology?
Behavioral psychology, also known as behaviorism, studies the link between sensory abilities, thought processes, perceptions, emotions, and behaviors, of course. This type of psychology also examines various behavioral styles, in an effort to develop techniques and methods that change unhealthy, negative and destructive behaviors into more positive, healthier and uplifting ones.
Behavioral psychology also focuses on altering, improving and changing people’s thought processes, actions, emotions and behaviors. This branch theorizes that mental, psychological, and emotional disorders can be improved through a variety of behavior-modifying techniques (i.e. behavioral modeling, classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and cognitive restructuring).
The four specialized areas of behavioral psychology are: cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and applied behavioral analysis.
Conditioning
What Does a a Behavioral Psychologist Do?
Behavioral psychologists examine an individual’s behaviors, and the alteration of those behaviors, particularly the destructive ones.
The leading principle behind behavioral psychology is to utilize research based tactics to improve conditions such as depression, anxiety and substance abuse through the modification of behaviors.
In other words, behavioral psychologists are looking to understand why individuals display the behaviors that they do and develop solutions that will improve their current condition. Often, they will work one on one with individuals to develop behavioral based solutions to their issues.
This is achieved through the careful analysis and consideration of an individual’s behaviors, paying less attention to the internal cognitive processes in place, and more attention around examining the surrounding stimuli.
In general behavioral psychologists perform a variety of job duties such as:
Where Does a Behavioral Psychologist Work?
A substantial number of behavioral psychologists go on to open up their own practice, where they will often specialize within an area of behavioral psychology. These specialties may include providing solutions to issues such as substance abuse, obesity, and depression just to name a few.
Often, a behavioral psychologist after being in the field will narrow their focus to provide superior solutions to their clientele.
Some behavioral psychologists seek employment at colleges and universities, while others are employed asschool counselorsorschool psychologists, orpediatric psychologists. In this role, behavioral psychologists work individually with children to address behavioral based issues, such as depression or acting out in destructive manners.
In addition, some seek employment as social workers, as a way to help rehabilitate people addicted to drugs and alcohol, and those engaging in unsafe, impulsive, and/or dangerous behaviors. Moreover, other behavioral psychologists work at businesses and organizations, providing data and insight on consumer trends.
Furthermore, some behavioral psychologists work with law enforcement, providing felons, suspects, and criminals with counseling services.
What are the Careers in Behavioral Psychology?
With a behavioral psychology degree, one can seek employment in the following industries:
Sociology
Social Work
As mentioned above, one can also become a social worker with a behavioral psychology degree. Social workers help clients and patients manage, cope, deal with, and resolve their issues. A sub-type of social work is a clinical social work.Clinical social workersdiagnose and treat a variety of mental illnesses, behavioral disorders and emotional issues.
Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors
Lastly, many behavioral psychologists acquire jobs assubstance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors, who provide substance abuse counseling services to people, suffering from drug addiction, alcoholism, eating disorders, and other behavioral problems. They also help clients modify unhealthy and negative behaviors. Lastly, they provide treatments that help clients heal from the throes of addiction.
What Degree is Needed to Become a Behavioral Psychologist?
To become a behavioral psychologist, one will need to obtain a bachelor’s degree (B.S. or B.A.) in any field, preferably a psychology or social work field, amaster’s degree in psychology(with coursework in cognitive and behavioral psychology) or a related field, and adoctorate (Ph.D.) in psychologywith a focus on cognitive and behavioral studies.
It normally takes a student 4 years to earn a bachelor’s degree, 2.5 to earn a master’s degree, and between 5 and 7 years to earn a Ph.D.
What Do You Study in Behavioral Psychology?
During a graduate behavioral psychology program, students are introduced to various behavioral psychological theories, principles, approaches, techniques, and methods. They are also taught the difference between performance and cognition.
Most of the coursework centers on human development and research. In addition, these students take an in-depth look at abnormal, social, and personality psychology. Graduate behavioral psychology programs typically last a few years, and involve a thesis, and internship.
At the doctoral level, students are taught various research methods and approaches, in an effort to help them accurately interpret and analyze differing behaviors. They also learn how to detect and address child abuse, child neglect and unhealthy parent-child relationships. Moreover, doctoral students explore the relationship between human behaviors and gender identity.
Furthermore, they learn how to apply what they learned in class to “real world” scenarios.Courses may include:developmental psychology, personality disorders, behavioral problems, applied behavioral analysis,neuropsychology, severe mental illness, and behavioral medicine.
What are the Career Opportunities For New Graduates?
An entry level job for the behavioral psychologist may range from teaching to hospital work. Public agencies that help at-risk people (traumatized veterans, addicts, etc) develop better behaviors may put the just-graduated behavioral psychologist to work.
Public schools, law enforcement agencies and colleges sometimes have behavioral psychologists to talk to people in need of better habits. There are also many jobs in research for the behavioral psychologist – drug companies often need to analyze effects of medications and will use them to do this.
How Much Does a Behavioral Psychologist Make?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not provide separate salary data for behavioral psychologist. However, clinical psychologists (which may include behavioral psychologists) on average earn earn$106,600, as of May 2024.
What is the Employment Outlook for Behavioral Psychologists?
What Careers are Similar to Behavioral Psychology?
There are many careers that are related to behavioral psychology and not all of them require advanced degrees or years of education. Behavioral Health is a field where there is always a need for those with various levels of experience and education.
Behavioral Health Case Manager
As a behavioral health case manager, they are a part of a clinical team that assesses the patient and develops a service plan. They also document the patient’s progress as they go through treatment and maintain the clinical records as needed.
In addition to the care that they are receiving, the behavioral health case manager will also coordinate any additional care needed, like health and dental care. To be a behavioral health care manager, employers usually require a Bachelor’s degree in a related major or a combination of education and experience to meet the job requirements.
Behavioral Health Technician
Like the behavioral health case manager, another member of a clinical team is the behavioral health technician. They are a bit more “hands on” with the patients as they can lead group or individual counseling sessions and play a large role in developing and implementing the service plan for each patient.
Most health technicians are required to have either an Associate’s degree and three years of experience in behavioral health or a Bachelor’s Degree and one year of experience.
Board Certified Behavioral Analysts
What is the Difference Between a Behaviorist and a Psychologist?
Behaviorists and psychologists are both mental health professionals who study human behavior, however, they approach the study of human behavior from different perspectives.
Behaviorists are mainly focused on the study of observable behaviors and the ways in which those behaviors can be modified through external stimuli. Behaviorists believe that behaviors are typically learned through reinforcement and punishment, and that mental processes are not relevant or important to the study of behavior.
Psychologists, on the other hand, are interested in a wider range of mental processes, including cognition, perception, emotion, and personality. Psychologists may use a variety of methods, including observation, experimentation, and introspection, to study these mental processes. While behaviorists focus on observable behavior, psychologists are more interested in the internal thoughts, feelings, and processes that underlie any behavior.
Overall, behaviorists generally tend to be more focused on the study of specific behaviors and their causes, while psychologists manly are more interested in the broader range of mental processes that shape behavior.
