Branches of Psychology

There are a number of unique and distinctive branches of psychology. Each branch looks at questions and problems from a different perspective. While each branch has its own focus on psychological problems or concerns, all areas share a common goal of studying and explaining human thought and behavior. The following are some of the major branches of psychology within the field today.

Abnormal Psychology

Abnormal psychology is the branch of psychology that looks at psychopathology and abnormal behavior. The term covers a broad range of disorders, from depression to obsession-compulsion to sexual deviation and many more. Counselors, clinical psychologists, and psychotherapists often work directly in this field.

Behavioral Psychology

Behavioral psychology, also known as behaviorism, is a theory of learning based upon the idea that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning. While this branch of psychology dominated the field during the first part of the twentieth century, its hold loosened during the 1950s. However, behavioral techniques remain a mainstay in therapy, education and many other areas.

Biopsychology

The branch of psychology focused on the study of how the brain influences behavior is often known as biopsychology, although it has also been called physiological psychology, behavioral neuroscience and psychobiology.

Cognitive Psychology

Cognitive psychology is the branch of psychology that focuses on internal states, such as motivation, problem solving, decision-making, thinking, and attention. This area of psychology has continued to grow since it began taking hold in the 1960s.

Comparative Psychology

Comparative psychology is the branch of psychology concerned with the study of animal behavior. The study of animal behavior can lead to a deeper and broader understanding of human psychology.

Developmental Psychology

This branch of psychology looks at development throughout the lifespan, from childhood to adulthood. The scientific study of human development seeks to understand and explain how and why people change throughout life. This includes all aspects of human growth, including physical, emotional, intellectual, social, perceptual, and personality development. Topics studied in this field include everything from prenatal development to Alzheimer's disease.

Educational Psychology

Educational psychology is the branch of psychology concerned with schools, teaching psychology, educational issues, and student concerns. Educational psychologists often study how students learn or work directly with students, parents, teachers and administrators to improve student outcomes.

Experimental Psychology

Experimental psychology is the branch of psychology that utilizes scientific methods to research the brain and behavior. Many of these techniques are also used by other areas in psychology to conduct research on everything from childhood development to social issues.

Forensic Psychology

Forensic psychology is a specialty area that deals with issues related to psychology and the law. Forensic psychologists perform a wide variety of duties, including providing testimony in court cases, assessing children in suspected child abuse cases, preparing children to give testimony and evaluating the mental competence of criminal suspects.

Personality Psychology

This branch of psychology is focused on the patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behavior that make a person unique. Some of the best-known theories in psychology have arisen from this field, including Freud's stage theory of psychosexual development and Erikson's theory of psychosocial development.

Social Psychology

Social psychology seeks to explain and understand social behavior and looks at diverse topics including group behavior, social interactions, leadership, nonverbal communication and social influences on decision-making.

Kinds of memory

The storage and retrieval of what has been learned or experienced is memory.

The first memory process is encoding – the transforming of information so that the nervous system can process it. Basically you use your senses – hearing, sight, touch, taste, temperature, and others – to encode and establish a memory.

After information is encoded, it goes through the second memory process, storage.This is the process by which information is maintained over time.

The third memory process, retrieval,occurs when information is brought to mind from storage.

Once the senses encode a memory in the brain, the brain must hold on to the input and store it for future reference. One model distinguishes three types of memory – sensory, short-term, and long-term – each of which has a different function and time span.

Sensory memory isvery brief memory storage immediately following initial stimulation of a receptor. For example, when you watch a motion picture, you do not notice the gaps between frames. The actions seem smooth because each frame is held in sensory storage until the next frame arrives.

Sensory memory serves three functions. First, it prevents you from being overwhelmed. Second, sensory memory gives you some decision time. The information in sensory memory is there for only a few seconds – just long enough for you to decide whether it is worth paying attention to this information. If you choose to pay attention, the information is automaticallytransferred to short-term memory. Finally, sensory memory allows for continuity and stability in your world.

The things you have in your conscious mind at any one moment are being held in short-term memory. Short-term memoryismemory that is limited in capacity to about seven items and in duration by the subject’s active rehearsal. To keep information in short-term memory for more than a few seconds, you usually have to repeat the information to yourself or out loud. Short-term memory lasts a bit less than 20 seconds without rehearsal. Short-term memory is limited not only in its duration but also in its capacity. It can hold only about seven unrelated items.

Short-term memory is also called working memory. Working memory serves as a system for processing and working with current information. Working memory includes both short-term memory (events that just occurred) and information stored in long-term memory, now recalled for current information.

Long-term memory refers to the storage of information over extended periods of time. The capacity of long-term memory appears to be limitless. Long-term memory contains representations of countless facts, experiences, and sensations.

Memory loss

Memory loss can be partial or total and it is normal when it comes with aging. Sudden memory loss is usually a result of brain trauma and it may be permanent or temporary. When it is caused by medical conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, the memory loss is gradual and tends to be permanent. Otherwise the condition is temporary and only affects memories relating to a portion of one's experience.

Brain trauma is not the only factor that can cause sudden memory loss. It may appear as a side effect of statin drugs that are used as treatment for those who have hypercholesterolemia. Major causes of sudden loss of memory are strokes. Other causes are long lasting and recurrent illnesses such as meningitis or epilepsy.

Memory loss can't be treated unless it is caused by a reversible condition. The treatment is greatly dependent on the primary cause of the condition. When memory loss is a symptom of a more severe disease, it may be reversed as soon as the underlying condition is identified and cured. Memory loss due to aging cannot be cured but the symptoms may be improved by following the prevention measures.

Treating mild cases of memory loss may consist of herbal medications or a change in lifestyle. The other dietary supplements along with good quality and long sleep and avoiding potential risk factors may also improve the general status of the patient.

Family support plays an important role in treating memory loss. Family members are usually encouraged to take special orientation classes on how to cope with their sick relatives and how to help them improve their condition.

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