PSYCHOLOGY
By Donna Adams
1.
Job
description
2. Occupational
Profile
Professional Organizations
1. Social Psychology
Network
2.
International Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP)
Schools,
Colleges,or Universities
1. University
of Florida, Department of Psychology
2. University
of North Florida, Department of Psychology
Potential
Employers
1. Florida
Department of Children and Families
2. Meridian
Behavioral Health Services
3. Santa
Fe Community College, Human Resource
Non-Web
Sources
1. Wade,
Carole and Tavris, Carol, Invitation to
Psychology,
3.
Wood,
Samuel E., Wood, Ellen Green, Boyd, Denise, Mastering the World
of Psychology
4. Myers,
David, Exploring Psychology, 7th Edition
CAREER
SUMMARY
Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental
processes. Four goals that psychologists use to determine and
predict behavior are (1) description, (2) explanation, (3) prediction
and (4) control. You must first be able to describe the
behavior,
then attempt to explain it. If you can explain it, you may be
able to predict future behavior and subsequently control the
undesirable behavior, replacing it with desired behavior.
There is a lot of science associated with the field of
Psychology. You must be able to understand cells, organs and
the
brain chemicals that affect mood, behavior and thoughts.
Sometimes a mental disorder such as depression or bipolar can be
remedied with medication. Other times, a particular
undesirable
behavior can be reduced or eliminated by learning a more desirable
behavior through counseling, positive reinforcement and conditioning.
There are many fields in the area of psychology; each has different
training and goals. According to The National Science
Foundation,
Division of Science Resource Statistics, Science & Engineering,
sub-fields of Psychology are: 35% Clinical, 15% Counseling, 10%
Developmental, 7% Industrial/Organizational, 7% Social/Personality, 7%
General, 6% Experimental/other research areas, 4% Cognitive, 3% School,
and 2% Educational. My choice was counseling, as I was
interested
in helping people overcome their problems and assist them in becoming
happy, normal functioning members of society.
When I first entered college over a year ago, I thought I wanted to be
a Psychologist so that I could understand human behavior and somehow,
not only help my loved ones with their personal issues, but to help
others as well.
I had no idea when I started college, that I would have to spend so
many years in school in order to achieve my goal. I don't
think
this career path will fit into my lifestyle, nor will it benefit me in
the near future financially. At this time in my life, it is
not
feasible for me to spend years in college, then be ready to retire once
I complete my degree. If I had started when I was younger, the time
would not have been so important, however, at age 57, I would be past
retirement age before I could get a Ph.D.
I have decided to choose a more realistic goal of getting my AA degree
next year, then maybe go on for a Bachelors Degree. There are still
many other fields I can get into that will accomplish my desire to help
people, without having to spend my "golden years" in school.
Sometimes we just have to take a look at the big picture and decide if
our goals are realistic, logical or out of our reach. I've
always
lived by the Serenity Prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the
things I can not change, the courage to change the things I can and the
wisdom to know the difference.
I would encourage any of you younger students to consider the field of
Psychology because it is truly an amazing, interesting subject and will
help you in every area of your life.
