Types of Psychology: Gaining Insights about the Human Mind

By Dr. Matthew Loux and Derek Loux  |  07/09/2025

Psychology furthers our understanding of human behavior and emotional well-being. It has evolved into various fields of study, each offering its own unique understanding of human thoughts, emotions, and actions.

What Does a Psychologist Do?

Psychologists study human behavior, mental processes, and the interplay of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. They provide therapeutic techniques and psychological services when needed and often conduct a scientific study of psychological phenomena when it occurs.

Psychologists use psychological science and psychological principles to understand how people feel, think, and behave. They work in diverse settings, ranging from academia to research to clinical environments.

What Are the Major Types of Psychology?

There are different types of psychology. They include:

• Clinical psychology
• Cognitive psychology
• Developmental psychology
• Social psychology
• Industrial-organizational (I-O) psychology
• Physiological psychology
• Educational psychology
• Health psychology
• Forensic psychology
• Health psychology
• Environmental psychology
• Sports psychology
• Positive psychology
• Abnormal psychology
• Cross-cultural psychology
• Experimental psychology
• Rehabilitation psychology
• Neuropsychology

Clinical Psychology

Clinical psychology deals with the treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of mental illness. Clinical psychologists treat patients suffering from depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and other mental health problems. They use various treatment methods, such as psychotherapy, cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), and psychodynamic therapy.

In the field of clinical psychology, clinical psychologists conduct mental health research and create mental health intervention programs. They also further the understanding of the biological, psychological, and social aspects of mental health and well-being.

Cognitive Psychology

Cognitive psychology focuses on:

• Perception
• Memory
• Reasoning
• Problem-solving
• Language

Cognitive psychology aims to understand how people receive, process, and store information. This branch of psychology has practical applications in areas such as education, artificial intelligence, and human-computer interaction.

Cognitive psychologists study brain science, which investigates how people perceive and process information. For instance, they may analyze the ways people process information so they can design appropriate accessible interfaces for technology. Cognitive psychology can also be applied to develop effective teaching strategies.  

Cognitive psychologists may work in schools, hospitals, community health centers, or mental health clinics.

Developmental Psychology

Developmental psychology explores how the human brain evolves from one stage of life to another. Developmental psychologists look at the changes that take place physically, emotionally, mentally, and socially in people's lives over time. Understanding these aspects of the human mind helps us discover how these changes influence each other. 

Developmental psychologists study issues such as:

• Language development
• Attachment theory
• Cognitive decline

With greater knowledge of these topics, developmental psychologists help improve educational practices, parenting, and senior care. It’s common for developmental psychologists to work in academic settings, government agencies, schools, or healthcare facilities.

Social Psychology

Social psychology focuses on interpersonal relationships as well as human behavior in social settings. These practitioners typically study:

• Group behavior
• Influences
• Racism
• Associations between people

Social psychologists also study issues such as social conformity, social norms, and leadership. Their work furthers our understanding of societal changes, social conflict, as well as public health.

Social service agencies and nonprofit organizations hire social psychologists to support decisions about public policy, education, and conflict resolution.

Industrial-Organizational Psychology

Industrial-organizational psychology involves the application of psychology to the workplace. Enhancing employee productivity, work satisfaction, and overall productivity at the organizational level is the focus of this branch of psychology.

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), an industrial-organizational psychologist supports organizations by analyzing recruitment procedures, training program design, and organizational culture. Their understanding of workplace behavior may help improve organization efficiency employees’ mental health.

Industrial organizational psychologists work in human resource departments of major corporations as well as in academic settings.

Physiological Psychology

Physiological psychology delves into the biological factors that influence human behavior. Psychologists in this field examine how a person’s behavior changes due to their brain, nervous system, hormones, or genes.

Physiological psychology research helps us understand disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. This knowledge can aid in the creation of treatment strategies and risk reduction measures.

Physiological psychologists often work in hospitals, labs, or universities.

Educational Psychology

This field focuses on the mental processes related to how information is retained, learned, and studied. The goal of educational psychology is to find new ways to aid teaching, learning, and evaluation.

Students, teachers, and education policymakers work with educational psychologists to improve students’ academic performance in educational settings. These psychologists tackle issues such as learning difficulties, learners’ motivation, and student discipline in school. They commonly work in public or private K-12 schools or colleges/universities.

However, educational psychologists are different from school psychologists. Both may work in educational settings, but their roles are distinctly different.

Educational psychology focuses on how to improve the learning process, while school psychology deals directly with individual experiences of children. An educational psychologist tends to conduct research and develop policies. A school psychologist offers individualized support to children dealing with learning disabilities or mental health challenges.

Health Psychology

This type of psychology studies the relationship between a person’s mind and their physical health. This field investigates how behavior and even stress may positively or negatively impact one’s well-being.

Focusing on both mental and physical constituents of an individual fosters holistic care practices. Some aspects concerning the work of health psychologists include substance abuse effects on human behavior, the scientific study of mental health, and what factors influence physical health.

Health psychologists work in clinical settings, conducting clinical interviews and psychological assessments. 

Forensic Psychology

Forensic psychology involves the legal and criminal justice systems. Forensic psychologists evaluate the mental status of defendants before trial, conduct expert evaluations, and prepare treatment programs for offenders.

They also study criminal behavior, eyewitness recollections, and jury verdicts. With the application of psychological knowledge, forensic psychologists strive to make justice systems more just and efficient.

Forensic psychologists can be found working in prison systems, rehabilitation centers, police departments, courthouses, and government agencies.

Environmental Psychology

Environmental psychology is the study of humans and their natural and constructed surroundings. Environmental psychologists strive to understand the interactions of people and the environment.

This understanding can help improve urban design, conservation efforts, and disaster mitigation. For example, an environmental psychologists may examine how environmental aspects such as noise, light, and design of a city affect mental health.

Environmental psychologists apply their knowledge in government agencies and nonprofit organizations.

Sports Psychology

Sports psychology focuses on the psychological aspects of athletes’ performance and motivations. Sports psychologists support athletes with issues such as anxiety, goal setting, and teamwork. These specialists work in athletic departments within schools as well as professional sports teams.

Positive Psychology

Positive psychology studies people’s sources of happiness and well-being. This domain focuses on what makes life worthwhile and how people and societies flourish.

Psychologists interested in positive psychology focus their attention on gratitude and mental resilience, using these concepts to improve mental health, education, and general satisfaction.

Practitioners help their patients to focus on positive qualities and improve their quality of life.

Abnormal Psychology

Abnormal psychology deals with abnormal behavior, emotions, and thoughts, which are usually the results of some mental disorder. This branch of psychology seeks to understand the underlying causes and symptoms of psychological abnormalities. By understanding root causes, abnormal psychologists aim to develop suitable solutions to alleviate them.

Abnormal psychologists collaborate with therapists, psychiatrists, and researchers in treating issues such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), bipolar disorder, and various phobias. Their work helps reduce the stigma of these mental disorders.

Cross-Cultural Psychology

Cross-cultural psychology analyzes how culture shapes behavior, thoughts, and feelings. This branch of psychology looks at differences in people’s values, beliefs, and practices around the world.

By investigating the impact of culture, cross-cultural psychologists examine issues such as acculturation, xenophobia, and multiculturalism. Their work fosters cultural sensitivity in education, health care, and international relations.

Experimental Psychology

Experimental psychology applies scientific approaches to understanding sensation, perception, and memory. Experimental psychologists identify appropriate research methods and then conduct experiments in the lab and elsewhere to identify behavioral principles.

Rehabilitation Psychology

Rehabilitation psychology enhances the level of functioning and quality of life of people with disabilities and chronic health conditions. This field addresses physical, emotional, and social challenges and promotes self-reliance and resilience.

As part of healthcare teams, rehabilitation psychologists develop strategies and plans of action to address patient needs. They help people to achieve the personal mastery to overcome challenges and pursue meaningful life activities.

Neuropsychology

Neuropsychology focuses on the relationship between brain function and behavior. For instance, neuropsychologists evaluate and treat patients who have suffered from brain injury, stroke, or other neurological disorders. This field deepens our understanding of the connections between the brain and behavior, helping to improve diagnostics, treatment, and rehabilitation methods.

Overall, each branch of psychology broadens our fundamental understanding of ourselves and our world, offering profound insight and practical value. Also, the psychology field is constantly evolving. Advancements in medical technology have made it possible to examine brain activity in real time and technological tools such as artificial intelligence (AI) can be helpful in understanding cognitive processes.

The Psychology Degree at American Public University

For adult learners who want to become psychology majors and who are interested in learning about different types of psychology, psychological principles, and other aspects of psychology, American Public University (APU) provides an online Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.

In the psychology courses for this program, students study various topics such as personality theories, human life span development, biopsychology, and psychopathology. Other course offerings include child and adolescent development, infant-toddler development, sports psychology, and the psychology of terrorism.

For more information about this academic program, visit APU’s arts and humanities degree program page.

Note: A bachelor’s in psychology does not provide licensure; preparation for licensure; or professional certification required for mental health counselors, practitioners, or psychologists.