The title of this article makes a pretty bold claim, yet it is true. Applied psychologists apply psychological science and theories to solve real world problems. More often than not, the results are outstanding.
You may ask “What is applied psychology and why have I not heard of it before?” This is a great question and one that both pleases and dismays applied psychologists. We are pleased because we are proud of what we do and we want to share applied psychology; dismayed because relatively few are familiar with applied psychology—even among some psychologists and even when applied psychology is improving their lives behind the scenes. Career opportunities in applied psychology are abundant and typically pay very well. High school and undergraduate students should become aware of applied psychology career opportunities early so they can make wise educational choices that ensure they are prepared to enter an applied psychology graduate program and subsequent career if this path interests them.
Here I present an introduction to the amazing field of applied psychology by first briefly defining applied psychology. Simply stated, applied psychologists enhance performance and solve real world problems through the application of psychological science and principles in a variety of settings including the workplace, sports, the military, government, and education. Let’s take a look at some specific sub-disciplines in applied psychology.
- Industrial-organizational psychologists, also known as I-O psychologists, work to ensure that employees have the knowledge, skill, and ability to effectively perform their job through a variety of practices including techniques to select the best from a pool of applicants, and managing job performance and providing feedback to ensure good job performance. I-O psychologists develop training programs to keep skills current. They ensure all employees are treated fairly. I-O psychologists work with organizational leaders to motivate employees and to create work conditions in which workers are engaged and satisfied with their jobs. I-O psychologists lead organization change in dynamic, global work environments. I-O psychologists may have job titles such as talent manager, organization development specialist, personnel analyst, compensation analyst, or human capital manager.
- Sport, exercise, and performance psychologists use the science of performance excellence to enhance performance in all levels of sport. At the youth level, the emphasis is on skill development and having a good experience. As athletes advance to the collegiate, professional, and elite levels, sport psychologists help athletes develop mental skills such as focus, confidence, and resilience to provide the mental edge in completion. Sport psychologists work with coaches and teams to ensure shared team values and goals, and effective leadership. Most universities have sport psychologists on their staff to improve the performance of intercollegiate athletes. Many teams in the NFL, the NBA, and Major League Baseball employ sport psychologists. The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee likewise employs sport psychologists. Exercise psychologists develop techniques and programs to assist individuals with maintaining healthy exercise routines. Performance psychologists, a broader term that includes sport and exercise psychologists, may work with other populations in high demand performance situations such as performing artists, surgeons, or attorneys.
- Military psychologists are performance psychologists who work with our armed forces to ensure they are performing efficiently and effectively. Some military psychologists work to ensure our armed forces are mentally tough and resilient in the very challenging environments in which they work. Other military psychologists focus on leadership and team dynamics. Still others focus on the cognitive requirements for enlistees and officers and design skill-specific training programs such as Think Like a Commander training to help officers make effective decisions in complex time-limited situations. Other military psychologists perform functions similar to I-O psychologists or human factors psychologists (discussed next). The U.S. military is the largest employer of applied psychologists in the country and, perhaps, the world.
- Human factors and environmental psychologists may be thought of as design psychologists; they design equipment, machines, and the environment for optimal performance under stressful conditions as well as under normal conditions. Human factors (HF) psychologists determine the best arrangement of controls to ensure human operators do not make errors, whether it is a fighter pilot in combat or a cook operating a stovetop. HF psychologists play an important role in areas such as cyber security, artificial intelligence, and the military defense of our country. Environmental psychologists design work environments, health care environments, educational environments, and social environments to ensure the productivity and wellbeing of individuals working, living, or studying in these environments.
There are many other areas of applied psychology, including educational psychology and school psychology, but we will save those for future articles. The good news is that job prospects for applied psychologists are excellent and these jobs tend to be well paid. For example, the U.S. Department of Labor identified I-O psychology as one of the fastest growing occupations in the US through the next decade. The master’s degree is sufficient for practitioners in many applied psychology areas; that is, one must earn an undergraduate bachelor’s degree and spend an additional two years of study to earn a master’s degree. It is well worth the investment as applied psychology is an inspiring field that positively impacts the lives of many. As teachers and advisors, educators can enhance potential student career success by introducing them early to career opportunities in applied psychology.
Stay tuned to PTN for more articles on the exciting field of applied psychology including more in depth looks at different applied psychology sub-disciplines and career opportunities. More information on careers in the areas of applied psychology featured in this article may be found on the websites listed below. Some APA Divisions have resources for teachers to assist in introducing applied psychology in the classroom; for example, the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychologyopens in new window:
- APA Div. 14: The Society for Industrial and Organizational (SIOP)opens in new window
- APA Div. 47: The Society for Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology
- APA Div. 21: Applied Experimental and Engineering Psychology (Human Factors)
- APA Div. 34: The Society for Environmental, Population, and Conservation Psychologyopens in new window
- APA Div. 19: The Society for Military Psychologyopens in new window
Elizabeth (Betsy) Shoenfelt, PhD, is the former senior director for applied psychology in the Office of Applied Psychology at the APA. Betsy transitioned from a 36-year career in academics where she was a university distinguished professor in the department of psychological sciences at Western Kentucky University and the director of the WKU I-O master’s program for 25+ years. In 2013, she received the SIOP Distinguished Contributions to Teaching Award. She is a licensed I-O psychologist, a SIOP fellow, a certified mental performance consultant® and fellow in the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, and a member of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee Sport Psychology and Mental Skills Registry.
