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What really differentiates every branch of psychology?

Not just academic requirements, but the general field of work and skills that come with them.

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Michelle’s Answer

Hello, Jorge !

I am impressed at your thoughtful interest in psychology and this is an excellent question as you realize that Psychology is a very broad subject with many aspects to learn about. Well, nothing differentiates every aspect of it. It is like all the various elements add up to the whole which is Psychology.

Psychology is the study of the mind, human behavior, mental states and mental processes. It all works together. Because people are profoundly complex, there are many things that would need to be studied so it seems like there are all these "branches" and the person is the tree. But that's just how we are - we are intricate, unique and each person brings a different history, different abilities and experiences.

A person that studies to be a Psychologist becomes a psychologist, period. It's a basic foundation. Just as a dentist studies dentistry but can then specialize in oral surgery, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry. They had to be a basic dentist first. It's the same with Psychologists. During a psychology student's academics, they may discover and be drawn to a particular realm or issue. Through their internships they may like working with a certain population more than others. Then they can specialize in that, but first they have to have the all-around base as a psychologist.

When people are ready for a psychology career, they need to know that they have as much opportunity as possible. Their academic experience hopefully has put them in touch with most populations and most issues. This is why a psychologist would be qualified to work in a school, a nursing home or a prison - and do the job equally well. So there's really no differentiation, rather a natural inclination to be adaptable as a psychologist. This goes for many other careers as well.

I used to be a social service case manager. I have worked with every population that you can name, every age, every issue, during September 11th, in a major city as well as in a suburban/rural area. So with some types of careers, you need to enjoy variety and be open to serving everyone. So, a psychologist would have to be as comfortable with a teenager as they would be with a criminal or someone who is blind or deaf or drug addicted. The important thing is to meet the person in the here and now and understand their history and their issues. Everything is part of the whole.

Psychologists develop basic skills that allow them to adapt to whomever they are serving, A specialty can be good, too, but they first mastered being a psychologist. There is a lot to learn and one never stops learning, actually.

I hope that this somewhat sheds some light on what you've asked. Best wishes in all you do !
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