Psychologists: Definition, Types, Salary, and Differences

Psychology refers to the study of the human mind and the ways in which it might influence an individual’s actions. Psychologists are professionals who have an understanding of psychology and use their skills to enable people with mental, emotional, relationship, and general well-being to handle whatever challenges they are facing in their lives.

To help individuals with their challenges, psychologists usually specialize in a particular psychology field, such as social psychology, clinical psychology, or behavioral psychology. Now, let’s look into the different types of psychologists, what they do, and how much salary they earn.

Who are Psychologists?

Psychologists study and specialize in understanding human behavior, emotions, thoughts, and mental processes. They employ their expertise to assist people in handling their different mental health problems, improving their general health and also their personal and professional lives.

Psychologists usually have a Ph.D. in psychology and can work in places like private practice, schools, hospitals, and also research centers.

Types of Psychologists

As there are various psychology fields, there are different specialties psychologists can work in. Types of psychologists based on psychology fields include:

#1. Clinical Psychologists

A clinical psychologist works with people of various ages and backgrounds to address multiple psychological difficulties, such as anxiety, depression, psychosis, and family or relationship issues. Clinical psychologists are not medical doctors, so they do not prescribe medication, instead, they use other treatment methods like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and psychoanalytic therapy to treat mental health issues.

There are specific places where clinical psychologists can practice; they include hospitals, health centers, community mental health teams, etc. Additionally, they often collaborate with doctors, nurses, and other health workers as part of a team.

The duties of clinical psychologists include:

Interviewing clients to understand their needs, assessing clients’ attitudes, behaviors, and abilities using psychological testing
Designing behavior modification programs, devising and implementing therapy or treatment plans, and monitoring client progress.
Tailor treatment plans to each patient, as different people have different problems and respond differently to various forms of therapy

Social psychologists study how people’s actual or imagined interactions with others shape their thoughts, feelings, beliefs, intentions, and goals within a social context. They focus on topics such as self-concept, social cognition, attribution theory, social influence, group processes, prejudice and discrimination, interpersonal processes, aggression, attitudes, and stereotypes.

The work of social psychologists often involves analyzing societal concerns that influence individual well-being and the health of society as a whole, including problems like substance use, crime, prejudice, domestic abuse, public health, bullying, and aggression. Also, their focus tends to be on the behavior of individuals or small groups of people.

There are various roles that social psychologists can take on, such as teaching at universities, conducting research, working for the government or private sector, and even as political strategists, marketing directors, and technology designers.

The duties of social psychologists include:

Conducting research on human behavior, assessing the environment and people they work with, and setting goals to address their needs
Training individuals or communities by providing resources and improving well-being through inclusive projects
Conducting research on social interactions
Develop research questions, assist in creating workplace and government policies, supervise interns, teach students, develop treatment approaches, and consulting businesses.

#3. Behavioral Psychologists

Behaviorists, or behavioral psychologists, study the connection between the mind and behavior. They focus on understanding why individuals behave as they do and aim to discover patterns in behavior.

The primary goal of behavioral psychologists is to predict human behavior, which can help individuals build better habits, companies create better products, and communities develop better living spaces. Furthermore, behavioral psychologists often specialize in different areas, such as cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy, and applied behavioral analysis.

The environment behavioral psychologists work in includes schools, clinical settings, and prisons. Depending on the treatment plan, they can decide to work with clients individually or in groups, and the plans can involve techniques such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, biofeedback, or talk therapy.

The duties of behavioral psychologists include:

Observing and analyzing clients’ behaviors
Interviewing clients to understand their mental health status and developing treatment plans
Providing therapy
Conducting psychological research.

Where Do Psychologists Work?

Psychologists can work in various settings, including hospitals, health centers, community mental health teams, child and adolescent mental health services, and social services. They often collaborate with other professionals, such as social workers, medical practitioners, and allied health professionals.

Additionally, psychologists may work in academia, teaching and researching their areas of expertise. Other areas of employment include positions in industrial-organizational psychology, human-factors psychology, business management, consultation, and marketing research.

What Does a Psychologist Do?

A psychologist studies mental processes and human behavior by observing, interpreting, and recording how people relate to one another and the environment. They seek to understand and explain thoughts, emotions, feelings, and behavior using observation, assessment, and experimentation techniques to develop theories about the beliefs and feelings that influence a person’s actions.

Psychologists provide services to people with mental health conditions and those going through difficult or distressing times. They use psychotherapy (talk therapy) to help people cope with symptoms and improve their well-being.

They may also conduct diagnostic assessments and academic and clinical research. While they treat mental health issues through counseling and psychotherapy, they are not medical doctors and, in most states, cannot write prescriptions or perform medical procedures.

What Type of Person is a Psychologist?

A psychologist studies the mind and behavior, providing services to people with mental health conditions and those going through difficult times.

Skills Required for a Psychologist

Psychologists require a diverse set of skills to succeed in their field. These competencies help psychologists work with patients, conduct research to understand human behaviors and handle organizational and administrative tasks.

#1. Research skills

Psychologists conduct and use research to understand human behavior and treat patients. They learn to run and analyze research using various professional and ethical methods during their educational training.

#2. Listening Skills

Psychologists rely on active listening skills to recognize what individuals feel and react to different situations. They listen to what the patient says and examine their body language or facial expressions to understand how someone feels, even when they don’t express those feelings verbally

#3. Analytical Skills

Psychologists need analytical skills to break down complex ideas into principles that they can use to evaluate, diagnose, or treat individuals.

#4. Critical-Thinking Skills

Critical thinking skills enable psychologists to interpret information to make decisions. They evaluate research, analyze patients’ conditions, and ask questions to determine the appropriate treatment.

#5. Problem-Solving Skills

Psychologists use problem-solving skills to develop the best approach to solving a problem. They create multiple solutions to move on to another if one doesn’t work.

#6. Communication Skills

Psychologists need strong written and verbal communication skills. They should be able to communicate clearly with their patients to ensure understanding, and written communication is also crucial for writing reports and presentations on their findings.

#7. Organization Skills

Psychologists use organizational skills to conduct their job more efficiently and accurately. Psychologists in research roles collect significant amounts of data or information, which they must organize for further analysis and report writing.

#8. Computer Skills

Practitioners should have electronic know-how. It is handy for taking notes and downloading extensive reports and client files. Also, they need to be up-to-date with patient testing software, medical software, spreadsheet and word-processing programs, and billing programs

#9. Data literacy

Psychologists need a handle on statistics and the ability to interpret and summarize large swaths of data. They should also be able to effectively find and evaluate other research and determine what is needed for practice or research.

Other necessary skills and qualities include being intellectual, reflective, inquisitive, methodical, analytical, and having good interpersonal skills. It’s important that a psychologist is genuinely interested in helping others and not solely focused on financial gain.

Psychologists Salary Range

The average salary for psychologists in the United States is $81,040 annually. However, the salary range of psychologists can differ depending on factors like specialty, region, level of experience, and employer.

The highest-paid psychologists are in psychiatry, with an average salary of $249,760 annually. While clinical, counseling, and school psychologists earn an average salary of $78,690 per year, or $37.83 an hour.

States with the highest employment rate/ best salary range for psychologists

Massachusetts with 1.42 psychologists per thousand workers and an average salary of $75,550, or $36.32 an hour.
New Jersey offers the best salary for psychologists at an average of $94,650, or $45.50.
Virginia offers industrial-organizational psychologists an average salary of $120,260, or $57.82 an hour.

Psychologists vs Psychiatrists

Psychiatrists and psychologists are mental health professionals with different educational backgrounds and approaches to treating mental health conditions.

Psychologists

Psychologists focus on social, cultural, and environmental factors, diagnosing mental illness through interviews, tests, surveys, and observations, taking note of behaviors, habits, and negative thought processes. Additionally, they employ therapeutic methods to address and treat mental health symptoms. Such methods include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

A psychologist may also work with a psychiatrist to comprehensively treat a patient’s mental illness. However, it is essential to note that psychologists are not medical doctors and cannot prescribe medication.

Psychiatrists

Psychiatrists are trained professionals who can differentiate mental health conditions from other underlying health conditions that could cause psychiatric symptoms and monitor how mental illness impacts other health conditions.

Unlike psychologists, psychiatrists are medical doctors; they diagnose illnesses and prescribe necessary medications and other treatments. They may also provide psychotherapy or refer patients to other mental health professionals.

What Are the Four Main Types of Psychology?

There are several ways to classify the study of psychology, which focuses on the human mind and behavior. One approach is to consider four major areas: clinical psychology, cognitive psychology, behavioral psychology, and social psychology.

#1. Clinical Psychology

Clinical psychology studies mental disorders and the evaluation, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of people with mental impairments through psychotherapy.

This specialty provides mental and behavioral health care counseling for individuals and families. It involves psychological assessment and psychotherapy

#2. Cognitive Psychology

Cognitive psychology focuses on understanding how individuals think, perceive their environment, form memories, recall information, use language, and solve problems. It studies mental processes related to perception, language, attention, thinking, memory, and consciousness.

Cognitive psychology can help people understand and overcome problem behaviors and ways of thinking

#3. Behavioral Psychology

Behavioral psychology aims to understand the most basic form of human action, researching to understand what drives human behavior and how the mind connects behavior.

Social psychology studies groups and how individual members influence each other. It also involves understanding how people behave in particular social situations and analyzing topics like aggression, prejudice, or interpersonal attraction.

What is Another Name for a Psychologist?

Another name for a psychologist can be “therapist, counselor, psychotherapist, psychoanalyst, or shrink.” It is important to note that while some of these terms may be used interchangeably, they may also refer to professionals with different qualifications.

What Are the Six Branches of Psychology?

There are numerous branches of psychology, and classifying them into fixed numbers is challenging. However, some common types include:

Clinical psychology: Focuses on understanding, preventing, and alleviating psychologically-caused distress or dysfunction and promoting well-being and personal development.
Cognitive psychology: Investigates internal mental processes such as problem-solving, memory, learning, and language. It is related to neuroscience, philosophy, and linguistics.
Developmental psychology: The scientific study of psychological changes a person experiences over their life span, also known as human development. It covers various age groups and focuses on motor skills, problem-solving, moral understanding, language, emotions, personality, self-concept, and identity formation.
Forensic psychology: Applies psychology to criminal investigation and the law. It involves assessing psychological factors that might influence a case or behavior and presenting findings in court.
Health psychology: Observes how behavior, biology, and social context influence illness and health. It focuses on the whole person and what affects their health status.
Social psychology: Uses scientific methods to understand how social influences impact human behavior. It seeks to explain how other people’s actual, imagined, or implied presence influences feelings, behavior, and thoughts.

Other branches include occupational, educational, cross-cultural, and environmental psychology.