Those topics of psychology that are most popular may vary according to the cultural context and the time in which attention is focused on them. Below you will learn about some highly relevant psychological issues today.
Traditional subjects of study
How many subjects does the psychology degree have? Several of the topics of psychology are taught in many universities, some of the key subjects to lay the foundations of psychology being the following:
1. Biological bases of human behavior
The biological bases of the behaviors of the human being are a fundamental object of study for psychologists since it means understanding the origin of mental processes, which is the unit responsible for brain communication, and knowing the connection between the body and parts of the brain.
As you advance in your career, you will find some subjects in psychology such as psychophysiology or psychobiology, since, to be a good psychologist, it is necessary to know the mental processes, whether they are learning, memory, or sensations, in addition to knowing how they work. of neurons.
2. Statistics and psychometrics
The biological bases of the behaviors of the human being are a fundamental object of study for psychologists since it means understanding the origin of mental processes, which is the unit responsible for brain communication, and knowing the connection between the body and parts of the brain.
As you advance in your career, you will find some subjects in psychology such as psychophysiology or psychobiology, since, to be a good psychologist, it is necessary to know the mental processes, whether they are learning, memory, or sensations, in addition to knowing how they work. of neurons.
3. History of Psychology
One of the subjects of the psychology degree is the history of psychology. That is to say, to know the history of this science, to understand what the field of study is, the problems that it addresses in addition to its main schools that, over the years, allowed psychology to consolidate itself as a scientific discipline.
Key figures such as Descartes, Plato, Skinner, Freud, Bandura, and Watson are well known to psychology professionals, for being promoters of various topics to investigate in psychology, thanks to their incredible contributions that have allowed the evolution of this science.
4. Psychological evaluation
A crucial psychology subject is undoubtedly psychological evaluation, whether the psychologist works in the organizational, clinical, or sports field, mastering the use of psychological tests is an essential requirement for every psychologist.
Whether it is to obtain more information on the performance of a company’s employees, the personality type of a patient, or assess the intelligence level of a student. Becoming a good psychologist is not an easy task, in addition to reading a large number of books, research, and articles, one must have a command of evaluation tools. Are you still interested in studying this career? Nowadays there are even several tests to know if I should study psychology.
Branches or disciplines
Indeed, psychology is a career that has an extensive field with different branches or disciplines, so the educational needs may vary, depending on the field in which the professional works. Without a doubt, there is everything about psychology.
5. Clinical psychology
As you can see from its beginnings, psychology has managed to expand its studies to various fields. Among the main topics of clinical psychology are; all the elements involved in mental disorders and, in general, mental health.
Therefore, among the topics on psychology belonging to this area are prevention, diagnosis, and therapeutic intervention in those individuals who suffer from some maladaptive behavior or mental impairment, with the mission of improving well-being and maintaining psychological balance. Clinical psychology encompasses several points of focus, so much so that even those who study this discipline and are finishing their careers will find several topics for a thesis in psychology to receive as professionals.
6. Social psychology
This branch deals with analyzing the psychological processes that influence the way society behaves, that is, how the different social interactions are carried out and how social processes can shape the personality characteristics of each individual.
Likewise, it is the discipline that analyzes social phenomena and understands laws and principles that govern human coexistence. The main topics of social psychology are the influence of social relationships on the behavior and mental states of individuals, the study of social organizations identifying behavior patterns of the people who make up a group, different roles, and a set of situations that modulate their behavior.
7. Neuropsychology
Neuropsychology is a discipline from the neurosciences and is responsible for the study of relationships between the brain and behavior, not only in people who suffer from an abnormality but also in those who show normal behavior.
The topics of psychology to investigate that this neuroscience has been the study of the brain and the relationship between said organ and the behavior of the human being. Studying in the same way, healthy people as well as those who have suffered some type of brain damage.
8. Organizational Psychology
The organizational or work psychologist is the professional dedicated to applying the principles of psychology in the organizational field. For this, he understands human behavior (individual and group) and mental processes, to find solutions to problems in the workplace.
Within the organizational field, you can see psychology topics exposed such as the analysis, diagnosis, intervention, coordination, and management of human behavior within organizations.
9. Legal Psychology
It is the branch in charge of the study, prevention, evaluation, explanation, advice, and treatment of behavioral and psychological phenomena that affect the legal behavior of individuals.
In short, it is an area whose purpose is to analyze the behavior of legal actors in the field of justice, law, and law. Being recognized by various organizations and associations around the world.
10. Forensic Psychology
This specialty is responsible for providing information and knowledge that allow the resolution of cases belonging to the judicial and forensic fields. For this, it deals with studying the mental state of the individual at the specific moment of the crime, instead of the current functioning.
Forensic psychologists to some extent work retrospectively. They frequently resort to third parties to obtain information, written or verbal communication, collateral persons who provide them with the pertinent information to determine if there is any alteration within the functioning of the persons at the time of breaking the law.
Topics on the rise
The most popular and relevant topics related to psychology usually change according to the context and time in which attention is focused on them.
11. Third-generation therapies
The third wave of behavioral therapies is a clear example of how psychology has managed to advance as a science. This type of therapy has a greater emphasis on the context of the person, unlike its predecessors.
Third-generation therapies represent a new perspective regarding how to solve the problems of human behavior. The reason why it is considered one of the interesting psychology topics is because of its orientation to promote the psychological well-being of the patient, working more in-depth on the context where they normally live, instead of focusing directly on their behavior and symptoms, differentiating as well as its predecessors.
12. Internet addiction
Although it has not been included in the most well-known mental illness diagnostic manuals, more and more professionals have pointed out that the millions of people around the world who have become addicted to the Internet connection should be recognized.
While, for other psychologists, there is still no conclusive research that implies its inclusion in the manuals for the classification of mental disorders. Hence, it continues to be the subject of investigation and there are still several things to continue discovering.
13. Bullying
One of the current topics in psychology is the study of this concept, which has become widespread for a couple of years, becoming increasingly well-known today, due in large part to the visibility that the media have granted. communication of bullying.
Faced with this phenomenon, the figure of the psychologist has become essential, not only analyzing the different factors related to the appearance of bullying but also identifying the people who suffer from it and carrying out intervention plans to stop it and help the victims of bullying.
14. Innovative technologies to apply in psychology
Although we already know that today it is easy to misuse technology, the truth is that the proper scientific application in the world of psychology can open up new possibilities. Innovation has been sought in various fields, starting with the creation of diagnostic tools that have made use of video games, including therapeutic techniques based on virtual realities.
Several platforms have been created for cognitive stimulation with the possibility of becoming a boom, in addition to the fact that the same is expected to happen with neurorehabilitation and virtual reality. In this way one of the interesting psychology topics to take into account.
Most common psychological problems
Another of the current topics of psychology to take into account is how psychological problems have been gaining more attention and importance today, as a result of the suffering caused to human beings, to the degree that they affect their functioning in their daily lives. For example, one in five people in the world is more likely to suffer from a mental disorder.
15. Anxiety disorders
Anxiety functions as a physiological reaction to situations of uncertainty and stress. When speaking of anxiety disorder, reference is made to the diagnosis of several symptoms that cause distress or a considerable level of deterioration in the functioning of the daily life of the person who suffers from it.
An individual suffering from an anxiety disorder may have difficulty functioning in various aspects of his life such as family and social relationships, work, and studies, among others.
16. Mood disorders
Although it is very common that when hearing about mood disorders (also known as affective disorders) it is associated with depression, the truth is that this category encompasses various psychological problems that affect emotional states, such as manic depression, affecting the family and social functioning of the person. Within this classification of mental disorders are bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, seasonal affective disorder, and cyclothymia, among others.
17. Psychological effects produced by the pandemic
The years that have passed since the appearance of the coronavirus pandemic have undoubtedly been the most difficult for society, not only in terms of health, but also socially, family, economically, emotionally, and psychologically.
This worldwide change forced humanity to live under confinement for several months and has left a psychological mark on human beings. Hence, after the emergence of the quarantine, there was a considerable increase in cases of stress, depression, and anxiety, which can even cause the pandemic to be more serious due to mood disorders.
Psychological therapies
Psychological therapies focus on the diagnosis, evaluation, prevention, and treatment of psychological problems or disorders, together with their respective guide to manage, face, prevent and/or prevent difficult situations, problems in interpersonal relationships, discomfort, and/or emotional crises ( loss of a relative, breakup of a relationship, job change, communication problems, among others).
18. Adult Therapy
Therapy for adults consists of a process by which the psychologist teaches a variety of strategies, skills, and techniques to ensure that the individual who attends the consultation can successfully solve their difficulties until they are completely overcome.
In a nutshell, the work is done in sessions, supplemented by homework. They have specific purposes, which can vary according to the case presented by the patient and the moment of therapy. Initially, they are oriented to obtain information about the problem, so that later they can put into practice what they have learned in the sessions.
19. Couples therapy
This therapy is responsible for carrying out intervention and evaluation tasks to help marriages or courtships solve a problem that will affect their relationship. This psychological intervention consists of several weekly sessions where the presence of both members is requested and usually lasts a few months.
Resolving conflicts is a key pillar in couples therapy, it is not only limited to what happened in the sessions with the therapist, part of the role of the behavioral science professional deals with promoting skills training such as assertive communication, regulation of anger, and frustration management discussions, among others.
20. Youth Child Therapy
This treatment consists of a set of methods and techniques used to help children and young people who have problems with their behaviors and/or emotions, one of the many elements where it differs from therapy aimed at adults, is the use of games.
Likewise, it involves family members (they can also resort to the school or other institutions) within the therapeutic process, so that this relationship and alliance is multiple. It is an experiential and experiential therapy.
Child therapists implement games and activities to achieve better communication with children. However, both language and verbal communication are essential in treating children, as long as it is adapted to the child’s stage of development, both at the level of language expression and comprehension, as well as the characteristics of thought. and cognition.
There is no doubt that there is an interesting range of psychology topics (or psychological topics) of which there is still much to learn and deepen. Whether you practice psychology or are just more interested in these interesting psychology topics, to satisfy your curiosity about this behavioral science
