biological and cognitive psychology

By: Aishwaryaa Purushothaman, Preetie Cheema, Qian Ying Lee

10H

They are interested in what people know and how they acquire their knowledge.

They also study internal mental processes like memory, knowledge, thinking, analysis, learning, performance, and visual processing.

They explore how people gain, process, and store information in their brains.

A Cognitive Psychologist requires research skills like methods, statistical analysis, and experimental design, as these are the ways in which they examine any topic within their subject.

Cognitive Psychologists can get jobs in education, consulting, applied research and basic research.

Basic research in cognitive psychology is undertaken to better understand a particular process in the brain. This research can be highly technical.

The American Psychological Association reports that many cognitive psychologists work with neuroscientists to address questions about the biological basis of a brain process.

Applied research in cognitive psychology explores how knowledge about cognitive processes can be used to understand real world problems.

Jobs in applied research can be found at universities, non-profit organizations, government agencies and private institutions.

Cognitive psychologists understand how humans learn, making them a great match for jobs in education. Many people with a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology become college professors, allowing them to teach as well as perform research. Those with a bachelor's or master's degree may get jobs in education at the elementary or high school level as administrators, educational program developers or educators.

Cognitive psychologists' understanding of mental processes and human behaviour are in high demand in the business world.

Organizations may hire a cognitive psychology consultant to implement an employee training program or to create an incentive program.

Consultants must be able to analyse data, write reports and work independently on complex projects.

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Biological psychologists study the relationship between the brain and behaviour.

They may conduct laboratory experiments, or work in the field, examining naturally occurring behaviours.

The most common career options, including teaching and research assisting, are generally determined by experience and level of education.

Entry-level opportunities in biological psychology consist primarily of assistant and coordinator positions. Mid-level and advanced careers include academic, counselling and scientific research positions.

Research assistants typically conduct the hands-on work necessary for experiments in the field. The work is dependent on the interests of the assistant's supervising professor or researcher and may include gathering data from human research participants, performing simple surgical procedures or conducting experiments on animal subjects.

Biological psychologists teach in high schools, community colleges and postsecondary institutions. Often, those at the college level combine a teaching profession with research in the field and may benefit from finding employment with a public research university.

Many biological psychologists have an interest in a particular condition or part of the brain, and research opportunities are available in a number of disciplines.

Neuroscientists concentrate on discovering causes and effects of brain injury, mental illness, hormones and stress, typically examining neural function in laboratory animals.

Less common for a biological psychologist is a career in counselling, though they may pursue the option.

Counsellors interested in neurological issues may find work in hospitals, clinics and mental health institutions studying and advocating for patients with cerebral disorders or handicaps.

Behavioural psychologists in counselling positions must have applicable knowledge in drug treatment methods.

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