Psychology Blog Posts

So you’ve finished your first psychology degree and are applying for jobs that you’re interested in. It’s all coming together, but one last thing still remains to be done – to clear the final interview. And naturally, because this is your first time, you’re a bit nervous, so you decide to do a quick Google search to find out the possible psychology interview questions that you may get asked. And here you are, reading an article that is a definitive guide to the most common psychology interview questions! It’s sure to put you in good stead amongst your competitors, and if you read this article thoroughly, you may even have an edge over them too! How? Well, read on to find out! There are some essential things to cover before we get started, though. The Most Important thing to Keep in Mind During an Interview The purpose of an interview is not just to attest to someone’s technical knowledge, but rather to see whether a candidate will be the right fight for a particular organisation. This is usually done on the basis of understanding what a candidate’s internal disposition is – how they process the world, what they are good at and what they are bad at doing, what inspires and what motivates them are all factors to be considered. Depending upon particular contexts, these factors maybe even more important than technical knowledge! After all, if a person’s job role is that of a psychologist in a hospital, they also have to understand the structures of a hospital and how to work through them. If they’re always rebelling against institutions themselves, then that won’t be an ideal fit for a hospital, no matter how technically sound a particular candidate is. Similarly, if a person is applying for a position at a recovery centre, and they are able to build a rapport with all the clients there such that they can trust the candidate, they will be a better selection than somebody else who may have a great amount of theoretical knowledge but cannot create a relationship with the clients, since that’s the most important of their work. Basically, contextual relevance is appreciated over theoretical accuracy in the absence of a context. What kind of jobs are these questions for? Are they for a specific profile only? Well, the answer to the question posed above is both a yes and a no. The specificity of the profile goes only so far as a psychological role is concerned – it can range anywhere between a school counsellor position or one for a forensic psychologist. But ultimately, it’s the disposition of the interviewee that matters more than anything else. Also, we won’t be covering questions that are specifically technically linked to a certain job role, since it won’t be simply possible to cover all of the – psychology is a vast field, and including questions from all the sub-fields and disciplines will not be a practical undertaking. The majority of our questions will deal with projecting the right kind of attitude that will get a candidate selected and provide them insight into the selection criteria.  Common Psychology Interview Questions & Answers Following are some of the common psychological questions for students: 1. “Tell us Something About Yourself”  With this question, which is really more of an introductory statement, it’s important to keep in mind that you need to be succinct with your response. Of course, you can use this question as a springboard to go into your hobbies or your early childhood, but a smart interviewee would take this opportunity to introduce their professional interests and then dovetail into an explanation of why they are where they are. For example, a good answer is: “I used to read a lot of books as a child, and always wondered why people would behave the way they did. And that’s why I decided to study psychology and apply for a job here!”  2. “What Sort of Impact are you Looking to Make Here and How Will you Make it?” This is one of the most common questions that interviewers like to spring on potential candidates. This assesses a person’s context-readiness as well as their proactiveness. Impact-driven people are often associated with leading and furthering great progress and change. This is a great opportunity for you to layout exactly what constitutes impact for you. Here you must do your best to convey to the potential employers that you want what’s best for the organization. In fact, you can even ask them what their ideas are in terms of creating impact, and that you would love to join them in their mission through your ideas as well! A good answer to this question is: “I think the impact can only be achieved through scale, but the scale is completely pointless if there is no quality. Therefore, I want to tow the thin line between scale and quality, and make sure that we can achieve both! Having said this, I was wondering what your thoughts on impact are – perhaps I can learn something from your many years of experience in the field.” 3. “Why did you Study Psychology – and What Was your Area of Focus?” This question gives you the space to share your thoughts about the field itself as a whole. Here, it is best to be honest, considering that you’ll probably have a strong motivation; after all, psychology is usually one of the fields that attract people with conviction. That being said, as you elaborate on your area of focus, it’ll be very revealing of your nature if you can tie it in with what convinced you to study psychology in the first place. If there’s no tenable link between the two, and if you discovered your passion as you started studying psychology, then it’s a separate matter. But you must pay attention to the links as they do exist – that part is definitely important. A sample answer that is effective is: “I started studying psychology because I often wondered why I remembered some things so vividly while I forgot other things completely. This is also why I studied human memory closely because I wanted to examine what makes memories, and how our memories, in turn, create us.” 4. “What are your Biggest Strengths and Weaknesses?” All questions about strengths and weaknesses are really less about a person’s actual strengths and weaknesses than they care about that person’s ability to recognize them. If you are successfully able to articulate your thoughts regarding the things you are good (or bad) at doing, then you will already have gained standing with your potential employers, because nobody wants to work with people who don’t understand themselves and the effect they have on others. Here, the best strategy will be to tie in some possible outcomes based on your strengths and weaknesses, further displaying your ability to think through and work in various contexts. A good answer would be: “I’m very effective at communication, so I can handle sensitive information and announce that to people very well. However, I’m very bad at giving direct instructions, because I like giving people the freedom to do work as they want to approach it. So, I will be great at managing people, but not micro-managing them.” 5. “Would you describe yourself as an Effective Communicator?” The essence of communication comes down to understanding not just what to say, but how to say it in the way that it reaches the person to whom it is being said. If you can do this, you can call yourself an effective communicator. But when it comes to expressing this sentiment in an answer, the best way to lead is to mention that you won’t exactly know this answer, because it will be determined by the persons to whom you will be communicating. An effective answer is: “Yes, I’m an effective communicator because I can convey my expectations from another person to them in a way that they understand. Beyond this, however, only the people I talk to will be able to determine whether I’m an effective communicator.” Checkout: Top Skills Needed to be Psychologist 6. “What are your Long-Term Plans?” While this has long been a staple question for most interviews, things have recently changed significantly, owing to the post-pandemic work scenario. No longer can people answer what their long term plans are – especially at a time when the whole concept of plans seems to be so alien. So the best approach to take here is, to be honest about your future: you will know your plans best, and nobody else can determine them for you. As long as you can express yourself clearly to your future employer, you can make sure that they will consider you to be a viable candidate. An example answer is: “I don’t have any long term plans at the moment. I want to grow in this particular role, and if I like the direction I’m going in, I will continue to pursue it!” 7. “Are you good at Conflict-Resolution?” A lot of potential employers look at your ability to resolve conflicts because it allows them to assess how good you are juggling multiple stakeholders. Generally speaking, this is a role that pays its dividends the higher your move in life. There are no specific ways to approach answering this question – if you’ve done this before, clearly state out the conditions in which this happened. If you haven’t, articulate that you will be able to do this in the future if required. A good answer is: “Yes, I’ve done this before at [insert historical instance]” or “Although I haven’t done this explicitly before, I’m sure I’ll be able to manage this in case it’s required of me.” 8. “What Made you Apply for this Position?” Here too, the question assesses how you’ve approached the organization and will continue to work with them in the long run. It’s generally a good rule of thumb not to say that you’re not interested just for the money, even though the money is an important part of the equation – this is usually the case for most people. But beyond this, you also need to stress that you’re a driven and motivated individual who wants to do the job because they resonate with its mission, or because you believe in the work and think that it’s important. It’s better to come clear with this right at the start since there will be moments when things become tough – and at that point, internal motivation will become really important. A great answer for this question would be: “I think this role contributes greatly to society, and personally, I find this job role to be an exciting and promising one, not just in terms of work but also in terms of future growth.” 9. “Why should we select you over any other qualified candidate?” This is a question that can go both ways: if you’ve given a decent answer, then you’ll be selected. However, if you say something untoward or unprofessional, then there’s a chance this question can break the whole job interview for you. The wisest thing to do here would be to play to your strengths and to draw from past experiences that highlight unique skills that others will most likely not have. A good answer will be: “Because I played sports at a regional level, I know all about handling pressure and performing consistently at all times. Others, no matter from which field, are unlikely to have experience of this nature.” 10. Why did you choose this career path? Psychologists may have the same curriculum, but their individual motivations for entering the field are far more varied. Some people choose to study psychology because they have witnessed firsthand the improvement in a person’s quality of life that can result from therapy or psychological intervention for a variety of behavioral problems and mental health concerns. Some people are interested in psychology because they are curious about the human mind or wish to gain insight into human nature. Be forthright and sincere in your response to this inquiry. The interviewer will learn more about you as a person and about why you choose your area of specialization if you take the time to answer this question thoughtfully. 11. Do you know about the ethics of privacy protection in this field? One of the most important things a psychologist can do for their patients is to provide a secure environment for them to talk. There are rules in place to ensure the privacy of all patients. Under some circumstances, a psychologist may disclose client information without their permission. The main reason is to ensure the patient’s safety and to prevent widespread harm. I am able to alert appropriate authorities if, for instance, a patient discloses suicidal thoughts or plans during treatment. I have the responsibility to report instances of possible abuse or violence. 12. When comparing clinical and counseling psychologists, what are the key differences? The kind of challenges you’ll face greatly vary across the two disciplines. A clinical psychologist’s expertise is called for when dealing with “clinical,” or severe, cases. People with mental illnesses, such as personality disorders, will be properly diagnosed and treated by these professionals. A counseling psychologist, on the other hand, is more likely to engage in the behavioral branch of psychology, where the focus is on influencing patients’ behavior for the better. Therefore, you can be assisting an individual in kicking a habit or a couple in fixing their communication issues. 13. Describe some of the research projects you’ve been involved with. Here’s your time to wow the interviewer by discussing some of the cool things you’ve done in the past. If you are a recent graduate, this is a terrific time to talk about the research you did in school. Inform the interviewer of the nature of the project, your part in it, the data you acquired, and the results you obtained. 14. “Do you have any questions for us?” Here is a question where you can really let go and ask away to your heart’s content! This may be one of the most important questions since it asks you to engage with your potential employers, and the more engaged you are, the better you will be in their evaluation sheets! Engaged people are always on top of their game, no matter which field they’re in – and they’re also the most successful, so make sure to highlight your eagerness in working with them in your questions to them. There is no correct way to approach this – all questions are good questions! Don’t present your best self – present your most inquisitive and dedicated self Interviews are always tough to crack, but don’t lose heart! No matter what happens, always present your most inquisitive and dedicated self, because regardless of the exact position you’ve applied for, these qualities often do very well in any sphere of work, and at any level. Besides, the more experienced you get, the easier interviews become, because you have an understanding of what your potential employer is looking for in a candidate – and then the conversation can be very simple. With that said, all the best for the future ahead! With these psychology interview questions and answers, there’s no doubt that you’ll do really well. 

Summary: In this Article, you will learn Top 10 Highest Paying Jobs in Psychology in India [2023] Highest paying Jobs in India Salary per Annum Psychiatrist ₹975,328 per year Industrial/Organisational Psychologist ₹4,25,000 per year Neuropsychologist ₹496,647 per year School Counsellor/Psychologist ₹3,02,012 per year Clinical Psychologist ₹355,326 per year Forensic Psychologist ₹5,65,000 per year Counselling Psychologist ₹362,758 per year Sports Psychologist ₹589,581 per year Education Psychologist ₹10,65,343 per year Child Psychologist ₹480,000 per year Read more to know each in detail. There is no getting around the fact that psychology is one of the most important fields of our time. There was a time when psychology was purely notional, but after centuries of studies involving not only experiments but also philosophical evaluations and reevaluations, psychology is a field that straddles both the scientific and the intuitive. Earlier psychology was mostly academia-oriented, but years of experiments and research has made psychology both scientific and conducive. Check out our free courses offered by upGrad. Whether you’ve been considering psychology as a career option and are wondering what kind of career will suit you best, or you’ve already started a career in a certain stream and want to see what kind of growth opportunities are available for you – this is the right article for you! If you have been considering psychology as a career option or wish to change your career path, then keep reading! Psychology is a scientific study of mind and behavior. A psychologist examines the functioning of a brain and the associated human behavior. The process of healing is not rapid but gradual.   Mental awareness has increased so as has the careers in psychology. Projected to grow at the rate of 14% year-on-year, psychology is a field that will always see tremendous growth because it helps to understand what causes problems in people in the first place, not just in solving them. It is a field that will keep growing as it solves more significant problems like decision making, stress management, and behavioural issues. In this article, we’ll take you through some of the highest paying jobs in psychology, and how they are different from each other. As well as explain a little bit about what each job entails and how to get there. This article will help you get the answer of your apprehensions like “How much does a psychologist earn in India?” or “How much psychologist earn in India?” And you can find out which one suits you the best! Learners receive an average Salary hike of 58% with the highest being up to 400%. Top 10 Highest Paying Psychology Jobs in India 1. Psychiatrist Requiring a very specific trajectory during the educational stage, a psychiatrist has the important responsibility of assigning people diagnoses (based on their evaluations) and making sure that they get the proper medicines. For the most part, a psychiatrist comes in at a stage when a patient has already gone through various other structures that are designed to support those who are suffering from mental health conditions – a psychiatrist comes into the picture at the last stage of the journey of mental health. Psychiatry is not restricted to a clinic; rather everywhere, such as pediatric psychiatrists, geriatric psychiatrists, forensic psychiatrists,  military psychiatrists, sports psychiatrists, etc. Usually, a psychiatrist is also well versed in certain forms of counselling or therapy, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). It’s not a walk in the park if you want to become a licensed psychiatrist. You have to finish an undergraduate degree in medical school and then do an MPhil from an RCI-licensed college to finally be able to call yourself a psychiatrist.  However, each country has its education requirements to be a psychiatrist. In India, one must have an undergraduate degree in medical school and an MPhil from (Rehabilitation Council of India) RCI-licensed college.  Typically, salaries from psychiatrists average around ₹975,328 per year. 2. Industrial/Organizational Psychologist Given that a big chunk of the workforce is occupied across industries where there is little to no emotional support to be found for the various workers, it’s no surprise that those psychologists who can fit this role are rewarded generously for their efforts! And their efforts are often deployed not at a personal level only.  A healthy work environment comes from the culture; if the work culture is toxic, it creates stress in the business and the employees. Generous rewards are the after-effect of filling this massive gap in a workplace. The task of industrial and organizational psychologists is to make sure that the structures within which workers are operating can be attuned in a way so that it works out in the favour of both the companies as well as the people involved. Creating a healthy balance between the organization’s productivity and the workforce requires tremendous skills and mindfulness.  To not only strike a balance between the human and structural is not an easy task, and requires mindfulness of the highest degree. Check out the online degrees from upGrad The path to becoming an organizational/industrial psychologist typically involves doing at least a master’s in organizational psychology, with a doctorate degree being optional. A  Master’s in Organizational Psychology is the right path. A Doctorate Degree remains optional but increases the chances of earning money. Keep in mind though, that completing a doctorate degree will greatly increase your chances of earning more money. The (Industrial/ Organisational)  I/O Psychologists make an average of ₹4,25,000 per year. 3. Neuropsychologist Neuropsychology is a field that goes into the depth of the psychology of the brain. A neuropsychologist looks not just at typical psychological indicators that other psychologists use as a reference point.  A neuropsychologist determines how severe impairments one could have. A neuropsychologist understands the rest of the parts of a body and how the brain responds to stimuli. For instance, which part of the brain produces a feeling of sadness or euphoria when one feels a sense of excitement. Their specialty lies in having a thorough understanding of all the different parts of the brain and how they respond to various stimuli – for instance, which part of the brain isn’t functioning well when someone says they’re sad, or which part of the brain produces the feeling of euphoria when one feels a sense of excitement. Owing to the fact that neuropsychologists can work with complex brain chemistry, they often work with pharmaceutical companies as advisors to their many medicines. Neuropsychology is a specialized field that requires dedicated study, often for many years on end. But it’s a rewarding career, not only in terms of satisfaction but financially as well. A neuropsychologist earns an average salary of ₹496,647 per year. 4. School Counselor/Psychologist The importance of a school psychologist or counsellor cannot be stressed enough. A school psychologist can tie together the social fabric of the school, which is almost always bursting at the seams, with social tensions and strife – for the students, school faculty, as well as management. School Psychologists’ importance is too high.  They work within the educational ecosystem to diagnose and treat the emotional, learning, and behavioural problems in children, faculty, or management. In such a scenario, a school counsellor offers respite for everyone involved, and makes sure that a school’s systems function as well as they can (and should). A School Counselor/ Psychologist offers relief to everyone involved and ensures smooth functioning of the school. That is why the schools invest heavily in school counsellors. They make a significant impact on their student’s careers and form a lasting relationship with them! This is why school psychologists are so important for schools, and why schools invest heavily in them. Moreover, school counsellors also form lasting relationships with their students, and can thus enrich their lives too – and this is a huge form of impact! It’s a straightforward career path to becoming a school counsellor/psychologist, requiring some specialisation once a master’s degree has been completed. Becoming a School Counselor/ Psychologist is a straight career path; gain some specialisation after a Master’s degree. The average salary for a school counsellor/psychologist is ₹3,02,012 per year. 5. Clinical Psychologist A clinical psychologist, much like a psychiatrist, understands all the conditions in which a mental disorder can present itself within a person. A clinical psychologist diagnoses, evaluate mental, emotional, or behavioural disorders, and offer treatment in a clinic or hospital. So, a clinical psychologist’s task involves diagnosing, managing, and treating people who have these conditions – whether it be depression, or anxiety, or borderline personality disorder, or anything else. Because of the far reaching implications of this profession, it’s one of the most popular roles within the field of psychology, and has the most number of jobs on offer as well. They deal in solving the problem of anxiety, depression, borderline personality disorder, etc. Clinical Psychology is a demanding field and has the most number of jobs on offer as well. It is one of the most sought careers in psychology in India.  Clinical psychologists often work across hierarchies in a number of different organisations, whether at care centres, recovery centres, hospitals, or other places where the mental health of people is dealt with at length. In addition, they often offer their services through private practice as well, thereby increasing the scope of their earnings. The clinical psychologist salary is mentioned below. A clinical psychologist makes on average ₹355,326 per year. 6. Forensic Psychologist Forensic psychologists specialize in psychology as it overlaps in the field of criminality and all things related to it. They work often with criminal offenders, attempting to rehabilitate them at a psychological level, before they go back out into the world. To this end, they can be employed by prisons, institutions that cater to habitual drug offenders, as well as hospitals. Forensic Psychology involves the application of knowledge to answer legal questions arising from legal or criminal proceedings. They work with the criminal offenders and rehabilitate them to go back to the world. They serve as an important cog in the rehabilitation system for any crime – simply giving them time to reflect on their wrongdoing proves to be futile, unless it’s supported strongly by someone who can facilitate that process. They play a very significant role in the rehabilitation system, to make the criminals reflect on their actions and prepare them to lead a normal life. In addition to simply helping those that have committed crimes, forensic psychologists are also responsible for making sure that people are psychologically profiled correctly – through this they can predict who is likely to become a criminal and who will be a threat to society if they are released from prison. They are also responsible to make sure that the people are psychologically profiled to assess if they are fit to go back into society. On average, a forensic psychologist earns ₹5,65,000 per year. 7. Counselling Psychologist Counselling psychologists are experts in making people come face to face with their problems and offering them solutions that can be of help to them in the immediate short term. They help people to improve their well beings, prevent and alleviate distress. Counselling offers people an insight into their behaviours that simply going to a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist won’t – this is why these services are often paired together so that in combination they can provide great results for the person concerned. Counselling offers an insight into behaviors that psychiatry or clinical psychology won’t. It is preferable to pair them together in order to get great results. This insight can then be used to further delve deeper into any “concern areas” for respective people: someone might want to focus more on their relationships, others might want to take a closer look at work, while some might want to be able to look closely at their hobbies. The insights help better understand the pain points which one might focus upon like relationships, career, work, hobbies, etc. A counselling psychologist makes an average salary of ₹362,758 per year. They too have private practices and can earn separately through that channel. 8. Sports Psychologist Sports psychologists are psychologists who understand not only the human mind but also the human body –  they understand how they interact with each other on and off the field. A sports psychologist is someone who, ideally, has already gone through the motions of various sports training rituals themselves, and therefore understands the specific toll that it takes on both one’s mind and body. They make sure the mental well-being of athletes impacts their performance, behaviour, and health of athletes. They guide the athletes towards their goals and play a big role to make or break athletes’ careers. This helps the athletes to meet high expectations. Thus, with this experience, they guide others to their specific sports-related goals, and can make or break athletes’ careers – after all, sports as a field comes with very high expectations, rewards, as well as disappointments. And this is where a sports psychologist shines and allows others to shine as well. A sports psychologist typically makes a salary of ₹589,581 as they start out but can make a promising sum of around 24 Lacs per year ! 9. Education Psychologist An education psychologist fills any possible gaps that are left behind within the schooling system in so far as the education of a student is concerned. There is tough competition and stress in the education industry, this begins from the nursery to higher education. Today, everyone wants to get the best out of the equation for career growth and personal advancement.  We have earlier seen that there are school psychologists and counsellors who serve to hold students’ anxieties as well as their fears, which may in part be triggered by the school. An education psychologist, however, makes sure that a child’s intellectual growth is taken care of. Often, a school system doesn’t allow for certain minds to grow at the rate that they will grow the best – and this is where an educational psychologist will be far more helpful than a school psychologist or counsellor. An education psychologist can earn up to ₹10,65,343 with the possibility of earning a salary of ₹972,275 – and this doesn’t even include bonuses or other perks! Similarly, through private practice, an educational psychologist can stand to earn even more money. This is one of the highest paying psychology jobs in India. 10. Child Psychologist A child psychologist does what you may imagine they do – they work with children. Children have to face a lot of challenges as they grow up, and parents may not always be in the best position to be able to deal with all of those issues. In fact, there may be instances when parents specifically approach a child psychologist because they are wondering how to deal with a certain problem that they can’t solve on their own. A child psychologist helps keep the parents stress free while they focus solely on the child. A child psychologist focuses on the well-being of the children, keeping their mental health safe. Child psychologists too have their own private practice, and as word spreads about their services, they can stand to make a lot of money through this medium. Child Psychology scope in India is huge with mental health awareness. Child Psychologists do private practice as well, increasing their chances of earning more money. Top reasons why psychology is important Psychology can help in explaining why people act the way they do. Professional insight helps in improving their decision-making, management of stress, overcoming traumas, and predicting their future behaviour. The scope of psychology is becoming high as people are becoming more aware of their mental health.  Disciplines of Psychology  The discipline of Psychology is vastly spread which allows for major applications of the discipline in almost every field.  The highest-paying psychology jobs in India are among these disciplines. Some of the disciplines of Psychology include Family Sports Business  Media Forensic Top skills required in the field of Psychology The psychologist’s salary in India is determined by various factors and skills are one of those factors.  Clinical reasoning Quantitative and Qualitative Research  Experiment Design  Critical Thinking  Listening  Communication Modern careers in Psychology  The psychology salary in India is increasing as there is fresh air for mental health awareness. Some of the modern careers in psychology are Professor Healthcare industry  Government Agencies Schools Corporate  Major fields in Psychology The highest-paid psychology jobs in India are also determined by various factors and the field of psychology is one of the factors. The more experienced one becomes in their field, the more psychology jobs salary keeps increasing.  Some of the fields are mentioned below Counseling Psychology Educational Psychology  Clinical Psychology  Quantitative Psychology Forensic Psychology  Social Psychology A career in psychology in India is promising if you find what interests you more and build your niche in it. Take the Leap into Psychology? As we’ve already explored above, psychology is a field that is rife with possibilities, with discoveries waiting to happen, intersections still to be found, and lives yet to be enriched! Beginning your career in psychology is the best way to earn a top salary in psychology in India – no matter where you’ve completed your education from, it is bound to come in handy as there are a huge number of opportunities in India. Mostly all the above-mentioned are one of the sought-after careers in psychology as well as rewarding. Each profession takes time to establish, so the sooner you get started the better! There is success at the end of each road – so start on your path today!

If you’re someone who finds themselves keenly fascinated by the world around them, there are chances that you’ve wondered about why certain people behave the way they do. Why are some people so sensitive when it comes to how other people perceive them, while others are very touchy about jokes. Similarly, you would also have considered how people behave in groups. For instance, why does somebody laugh at a joke privately but feel the need to mention that it’s offensive when they’re in public – or vice versa. If these are questions you’ve concerned, or if you’ve thought about why things happen in this vein instead of taking other directions, then you’re in the right direction for pursuing a career in either psychology or sociology! Since there tends to be a significant degree of overlap between the two fields, students who are considering either of these fields as a career are often confused about which one to pursue. But no worries – that’s why we’re writing this article so that you don’t have to worry about which field is right for you! Just read through this article and you’ll be good to go.  Differences Between Psychology and Sociology 1. Sociology is Concerned with Group Dynamics, Psychology is Concerned with Personal Interactions Sociology looks at society as a whole, while psychology looks at individual beliefs and patterns of relating. Isn’t there a lot of overlap between the two, you ask? Well, yes, there is – but the two fields approach the question of understanding behaviour very differently indeed. Sociologists conduct research into phenomena that affect large groups, such as religion, marriage, advertising, or capitalism, for example. On the other hand, psychologists look at personal relationships with these institutions; so a psychologist will study, for example, how 5 different people relate to a religion, or how they’ve understood marriage, or what they think about advertising or capitalism, and so on. 2. Sociology Looks at Systems that Govern People, Psychology looks at the Way People Govern Themselves Sociology looks at large structures, so everything within the ambit of politics and governance comes under its purview. This does not make sociology an inherently political subject; rather, if taught and studied well, sociology looks at the way societies choose to govern themselves (if we’re discussing a democracy), and how this can impact several groups within. The issue of racism or casteism, for instance, can be studied by sociologists. Psychology, however, can only reach into the individual psyches of people as they are moulded through their own thoughts as well as those that these people have received from the world around them. In so doing, psychology perhaps has less claim to truths that can be considered to be “universal”. Moreover, psychology too is not an inherently political tool, however, it can be used to understand different kinds of politics. For example, dictators can be understood to have control issues, while those who implicitly trust their immediate environment can be understood as people who have had reliable and stable backgrounds as youths. These are only indicative directions, and don’t provide reliable information in the sense of proper study – they’re only meant to showcase the possibilities of the subject. 3. Sociology is About Understanding Trends at the Macro Level, While Psychology is About Understanding How Macro-Level Trends Can Playout on the Micro-Scale. People might wonder what is the difference between sociology and psychology. Given that sociology is concerned with data at a macro level for the purposes of macro analysis, while psychology looks at data (both micro and macro) for micro-level analysis, there are some very interesting overlaps, particularly in this area. We can take historical examples in this particular regard. Sociology developed as a way to make sure that people could be as happy as possible, at a time when no proper understanding of the human existed. Psychology, however, developed almost by proxy, since the first psychological experiments were performed on animals, who couldn’t have given their consent. In both cases, there was data, but both fields interpreted that data very differently. Similarly, there are sociological data about how bitcoin has changed the field of investments completely – and how that has changed investor profiles all over the world. And there are psychological data about how newer technologies and systems of communications have changed how individuals relate to each other in a very major way; for instance, back when people had to write letters, they had to be more patient than they have to be today when they can just see who has read their messages. These are some of the basic differences between the two fields. But even as they may seem to be huge, we also need to keep in mind that these are very similar fields as well. They’re Different – But Similar Too! While we’ve spent so much time looking at the differences, it’s important to mention their similarities – since a lot of students who pursue either psychology or sociology usually end up doing research that somehow straddles both fields. Every example mentioned in this article can be either sociology or a psychology paper – only the insights will change, along with the research methodology. Ultimately, as long as a field motivates you, you should pursue it – you can always work out the minutiae as you go along! Careers in psychology Modern careers in psychology can take various trajectories. The users may choose from the many available career paths. Some of the career paths are mentioned below- Professors- It is a gratifying career which allows the professors to attend conferences and teach the young generation and their curious minds.   Hospitals – Licensed psychologists work in hospitals and clinics where they can use their knowledge to impact people’s lives, such as overcoming trauma, etc. This is also another psychology vs sociology difference.  Government – Some of the top psychologists in the government sector include counsellors. There are various opportunities in the counselling industry, such as correctional psychologists, military psychologists, criminal profilers, veteran counsellors, etc.  School – The psychologists work in a school where their expertise can be used to help the students who struggle with various important stuff such as mental health, low self-esteem, bad grades, and emotional, behavioural, or learning difficulties. This is again one of the basic differences between sociology and psychology. Conclusion So if you’re interested in either psychology or sociology, you should keep in mind the differences and similarities mentioned above. At the end of the day, your work should make you feel like you’re creating a difference in the world. And if you choose a field you’re passionate about, it’s bound to happen! So all the best for your journey – just make sure you take the first steps.

At its core, both psychology and psychiatry are professions that address something that is amiss within a person, whether it’s at the level of subjective responses (or the way it’s being handled by society) or whether it’s at the level of brain and body chemistry and how it relates to how one perceives the world. Seeing as they both serve functions that overlap to an extent, people often get the two confused. It’s understandable as to why that happens, but this article will clear up any confusion regarding the matter! This article is structured in a way to draws attention to the differences. For each section, we’ll start by mentioning the difference between the two professions, and then elaborate as to why and how that difference came into being. Without further ado, then – the key differences between psychology and psychiatry. Or rather, between psychologists and psychiatrists. Difference between Psychologists and Psychiatrists 1. Psychiatrists and Licensed Doctors, While Psychologists are Medical Professionals. A psychiatrist has the license to prescribe medication, owing to the fact that they had to study the human body in detail in their journey to become a psychiatrist. Psychologists, on the other hand, cannot prescribe medication, but can only provide a range of therapies to make sure that their patients can overcome their life’s many challenges. Psychiatrists’ primary point of entry into their patients is their body, and how it responds to the environment, whereas for a psychologist, their primary point of entry is usually the mind – how a patient perceives the world, how their thought patterns are structured, and so on. A psychiatrist typically diagnoses mental disorders using medical tests, while a psychologist uses subjective interviews, tests, and questionnaires to arrive at a diagnosis; even at the stage, they are not legally allowed to prescribe medicines. There are various strategies used by psychiatrists for the treatment. Some of those strategies are mentioned below-  Talk therapy  Medications  Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) Psychological interventions Psychologists study how individuals would connect with other individuals and the environment. To study, they use various processes such as cognitive, emotional, behavioural, etc.  Some of the methods used by psychologists are as follows- Observation  Experimental Correlational Psychological Testing Case Studies Surveys 2. Psychiatrists Study Diseases, While Psychologists Study the Human Mind-Body Spectrum For the most part, psychologists usually have at least a Master’s Degree or a Master’s in Psychology degree. To acquire one of these degrees takes several years’ worth of effort, including rigorous training and supervision – so that they don’t end up making mistakes of any kind once they become licensed professionals. The key focus of a psychologist is to make sure that a person can adjust to their surroundings in a way that they can still retain a sense of themselves. Psychiatrists, on the other hand, are people who choose the specialization of psychiatry as and when they reach the end of their medical degree. At that point, they have to spend at least another year focusing just on psychiatry – which is mainly the intersection of the body with the mind, and especially with chemical pathways not working the way they should in a healthy person. This is the reason why psychiatrists typically handle mental disorders that have a physical component – such as schizophrenia, which severely impacts brain chemistry, and therefore requires medicines. That covers the majority of the differences between the two professions. Now let’s look at the similarities in a way that the differences get further highlighted.  These are the main difference between clinical psychologist and psychiatrist. Now you must be able to distinguish between psychology vs psychiatry. A small table is given for your reference while concluding the differences. Psychologists Psychiatrists Hold a psychology degree. Hold a medical degree. Indulge in providing various types of talk therapies. Provide treatment through assessments, therapy, diagnosis, prescriptions and talk therapy. Provide psychological testing, counselling, psychotherapy, counselling, etc. Treat medical conditions using medical methods and strategies.  Key subjects include Neuropsychology  Cognitive methodologies Applied Psychometry  Development of social psychology  Key subjects include Neurodegenerative disorders  Brain and Mind Epilepsy  Therapeutic interventions  Laws and ethics related to mental health Similarities Between Psychologists and Psychiatrists As we’ve mentioned before, both professions are concerned with repairing something that has gone missing in a human – whether it’s at the level of body chemistry or internal perceptions. But in spite of the differences, there are some similarities as well, which will be helpful for a person to understand. It can help make all the difference if they’re looking for a psychiatrist or a psychologist, since knowing whom to go to can have a massive impact. 1. They can Both Offer Therapy, but Treatment Approaches Usually Vary. Psychologists are typically trained in a wide variety of psychotherapeutic approaches, while psychiatrists usually don’t have a very in-depth understanding of how to solve mental issues outside of prescribing medication. Of course, that’s a blanket statement, but the truth is that the ground realities can be very limiting when it comes to talking therapy. Psychiatrists who work in villages, for instance, cannot provide a space for talk therapy for their patients because they see a huge volume of patients every day – so the only method they have for providing support is medicines. Psychologists, however, usually do not work at such a large scale, since they go in-depth with each and every client. Moreover, psychiatrists only deal with disorders that impact brain chemistry – such as schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, etc., whereas psychologists offer their services for a large number of other problems, some of which aren’t even classified as issues in the typical medical sense. 2. They Often Work with Each other in a Support Role. Continuing from the earlier point, the way infrastructural systems have structured themselves, psychiatrists and psychologists often need to work with each other. In fact, one of the good things about how psychologists and psychiatrists approach their work is that they can both rely on each other for essential cues and work together to support clients in a way that best utilises both their experiences in different areas. This is why if a person goes to a psychologist complaining of chronic depression, which does not recover after a specified amount of time in therapy, the psychologist will refer them to a psychiatrist who will prescribe medication. In this case, they will be able to monitor the patient’s progress together. Similarly, if a client goes to their psychiatrist and complains of frustration and irritation, then a psychiatrist won’t prescribe them any medication but will rather refer them to a psychologist instead. Along with the difference between psychologist and psychiatrist, there are differences in the questions one would ask the psychologists and psychiatrists as well.  Of course, one would not go ahead and ask the same questions to their psychiatrists and psychologists.  Questions difference between psychologist and psychiatrist Questions to ask your psychologist Questions to ask your psychiatrist Duration of the treatment. Types of available treatment options. What would the counselling goals look like? Duration of the medication process. Anything that needs to be prepared before the first session. Any negative repercussions of skipping medication. Experience working with people with the same concerns as yours. Any possible side effects of treatment on health. Duration of each session. Possible chances of developing dependencies on medication. Checkout: Skills Needed to be Psychologist Conclusion Whether you’ve read this article because you want to visit a psychologist or a psychiatrist for medical reasons, or because you are considering becoming one, we urge you to make the choice that’s right for you! There’s no one shoe that fits us all, so the more you can think from your context and your perspective, the better things will be for you. All the very best for what’s to come!

Psychology is a field that’s been around for several centuries and has had an immeasurable impact on the lives of people across the world. As a field of theory, it’s informed (as well as changed) our imaginations of what our minds are made of, how they function, and why humans work the way they do. Similarly, as a field of practice, it has taught us new ways to appreciate how humans relate to each other and to the world around them. In several turns, psychology is both a science and an art, and it is with specific reference to its context that its nature can be determined in a particular case.  When thinking about career options in psychology, it would be instructive to keep in mind all its various facets and sub disciplines, since it’s not one field as much as it is a combination of multiple disciplines and approaches intersecting with each other to create something unique. At the undergraduate level, you get exposure to various branches, such as clinical, cognitive, developmental, educational, social, statistics, neuroscience, and organization/industrial. Also another important factor to keep in mind is that doing an undergraduate degree in psychology doesn’t mean committing to the course for the rest of your life! Considering the overlap that psychology has with various other disciplines, it’s just as likely that there are many career options that rely heavily on psychology but use concepts and techniques from other fields as well. With that said, let’s take a look at some career options in psychology! Psychology – Dominant Careers As we mentioned earlier, some careers will more closely use psychology in their everyday operations than other careers. In this section, we will cover careers that primarily deal with psychology on a daily basis. Here, core psychology and psychological concepts become a mainstay, and everything you do revolves around leveraging these concepts to get the results that are required. 1. Psychologist As a psychologist, you will be responsible for taking care of people across the age spectrum as well as making sure that your patients are doing alright across all levels of existence (personal, social, and collective). While often used as an umbrella term, there is a lot of scope for specialization here! If you are interested in how organizations function and how this impacts the mental health of those who work there, you can consider becoming an industrial/Organizational Psychologist. If you’re curious about sports and wonder how sportspersons deal with their anxieties and the tremendous pressure to perform, then you can be helpful to them as a Sports Psychologist. If crime fascinates you, as well as the mental disposition required to commit these crimes, then you can also become a Forensic Psychologist, whose job will revolve around criminality and the possibility of these crimes being committed by certain people. Really, the possibilities are endless!  The impact of psychologists is very high in today’s times. With loads of pressure, mental health is decreasing, and depression is rising. Just like when any other body part falls ill, we go to a doctor; equal attention should be given to mental health as well. Psychologists are professionals who understand the problems of their patients and find a way for them to cope with their problems. Thus enhancing the quality of lifestyle. They support their patients to achieve healthy behavior and prevent them from building further difficulties. Psychologists apply a scientific approach to address their patient’s issues. There are certain skills they should possess, such as- Active listening Communication Patience Empathy Care Ethics Research Constant learning attitude Collaborative Emotional Stability Post-psychology career options are numerous, especially as a Psychologist such as Neuro Psychology, sports psychology, counselling psychology, Clinical Psychology, and many more. Checkout: Psychology vs Psychiatry 2. Psychotherapist A psychotherapist’s primary work is to listen to their client and help them make sense of their various mental health issues. This could be at the level of early childhood trauma, or unsettling events that they encountered when they were teenagers and still have not been able to work through on their own. They help clients with depression, borderline personality disorder, narcissism, obsessive-compulsive disorders, and more. Now, depending on the person’s inclination in terms of thinking, a psychotherapist can pursue one of the many sub-disciplines within the larger field, including cognitive behavior therapy, psychoanalytic or psychodynamic therapy, hypnotherapy, and much, much more! At the end of the day, what will matter the most is whether the therapist is able to build an emotional connection with the person who is their client. Psychotherapy has various benefits such as building confidence, coping with anxiety, increasing self-esteem, improving navigation in society and many more. A psychotherapist applies the calculated strategy to build a good ecosystem for the patient. They must be a good listener and keen observant to carry out the procedure further. The average salary for a psychotherapist is 4.7 LPA, and the salary exceeds 7.6 LPA (Source). The compensation could be more than this owing to experience, skillset, and many other factors. It is considered one of the sought-after jobs after MA psychology. 3. Counselor A counselor’s function is similar to that of a psychotherapist, but their concern is much more immediate. Instead of exploring at length a person’s behavior patterns and thinking tendencies, a counselor tries to work through the immediate reality that the client is confronted with and brings up to the counselor. Counseling can be specific to certain parts of one’s life, such as marriage, family, relationships, work, and more. A counselor can also guide people to choose the right careers, and help them in their struggles with addiction, should that be the presenting complaint. A counselor needs to be able to listen to a client’s thoughts and feelings with utmost attention, empathize where empathy is required, and ask questions where that will be the more effective tactic. Much like psychotherapy, there are multiple modes of orientation when it comes to counseling as well. 4. Educational Psychologist An educational psychologist’s role can be defined as something of a mix between that of a typical psychologist and a usual teacher. Since a usual psychologist cannot position themselves at the intersection of their client’s psyche and the various education systems that their client has to navigate, this task becomes an extremely specific requirement that can only be fulfilled by educational psychologists. An educational psychologist understands a student’s mental bandwidth and gives them suggestions about what will work for them in the long run. Their approaches are usually sustainable so that their client can benefit from education to which their minds cannot directly adapt.  The educational psychologist activates the potential of the students by understanding their troubles and addressing them using a scientific approach. The students are nurtured and cared for by educational psychologists as they are tender minds.  There are various courses after MA psychology one can pursue or various books the professionals can read in order to deliver the sessions better. Educational psychologists measure the learning progress of the students and identify the gaps between low academic performance and students’ mental health. Educational psychologists also help teachers by giving them new and innovative strategies and teaching methods they can introduce in their classrooms in order to teach the students better and include every kind of student in the learning process. You can also check out our free courses offered by upGrad in Management, Data Science, Machine Learning, Digital Marketing, and Technology. All of these courses have top-notch learning resources, weekly live lectures, industry assignments, and a certificate of course completion – all free of cost! 5. Psychology Professor The maxim, “those who can’t do, teach,” doesn’t hold true here – if it were ever true, that is. A psychology professor is someone who’s done at least their Master’s in Psychology and has decided that it will be a great use of their time to open the minds of young students to the wonder of psychology. And indeed it will be since teachers can make all the difference when it comes to giving youngsters life-changing advice!  MA psychology scope is not limited to practice in society rather the students can also choose the path of academia and divulge themselves more into the field of psychology. Much like other fields in psychology, there is a wide range of choices here when it comes to specialization – and you’ll teach classes that are most likely in the same line of thinking as your specialization. This being said, most psychology professors also have a Ph.D. which further boosts their eligibility as well as credibility. 6. Research Psychologist A research psychologist conducts experiments that further what we consider to be the baseline understanding of humans. For example, experimental psychologists have recently discovered that babies as early as 1 year old can recognize a difference between themselves and a stranger that they are interacting. Earlier, this age limit used to be thought to be 18 months. So, this is what a research psychologist does every day! Depending upon the field they’ve chosen to go into, the nature and frequency of experiments will change. But ultimately, it will all contribute to the fountain of knowledge that flows and will continue to flow, informing us all about the nature of psychology! The research psychologists increase the existing knowledge pool. They interact with the human body on a daily basis. They deeply observe and understand human behaviour. They create a wider impact in society such as, how the teachers should be leading their classrooms, ways how parents can raise their children of various age groups, discipline methodologies, the environment of jail and many more applications. There is various methodology a research psychologist performs in order to carry out their research such as keen observation, having a theory, hypotheses, etc. Read: Skills needed to be a successful psychologist Psychology – Affiliated Careers Now that we’ve taken a look at careers with psychology as a main focal point, let’s turn our attention to careers in which knowledge of psychology is a fundamental requirement, but which use that knowledge to achieve other means. Since dealing with people is something that every job entails, these careers specifically work out very well for psychology graduates, since they usually have an edge in this department over most other people! MA Psychology job opportunities are numerous and some of the additional information is given below- 1. Careers in Different Forms of Advertising and Media  The inherent advantage of understanding the human psyche can be leveraged in an impressive manner when it comes to careers in advertising and media. At the core of both these industries is the target audience which needs to be reached, and if someone understands what the target audience wants, then all the better! And not just at that level – psychology students tend also to be sensitive people who can communicate honestly and with conviction. This means they can become great writers, visualizers, production heads, and more! Moreover, they can make their mark in Marketing as well, whether as copywriters, designers, or as touchpoints in client servicing – really, the opportunities are endless and the possibilities infinite!  Psychology professionals understand various types of mindsets better and they know how to work with them better. Psychology professionals or students can market their products or advertisements in such a way that their product grabs positive attention. This technical bent of mindset is not possessed by any other person rather it requires a specific bent of the mindset that can think critically and execute. 2. Careers in Communications and Human Resources  To be an effective communicator doesn’t just require a thorough understanding of the language in which one will communicate. It also requires that you understand who you will be communicating to and whether what you will say will be received by your intended audience. This is why psychology students tend to make for great resource persons when it comes to doing Public Relations or handling internal or external communications of big MNCs. Putting oneself in another’s shoes comes naturally to most psychology graduates, and in this field, in particular, that skill is greatly valued. Moreover, human resources is also an area where psychology students can make their mark. By showing people that their needs are being heard and worked upon, psychology students make for very effective HR managers as well, and can extend their field of expertise to professional development, recruitment, employee satisfaction and training, and more!  3. Careers in Management and/or Business Seeing as some parts of psychology make extensive use of data in the form of statistical analysis, it will come as second nature to most psychology students to know that most businesses favour data-driven decisions – something that they already understand from their years of studying psychology! Therefore, they can smoothly transition into a career where they’re managing people and simultaneously making data-driven business decisions. In fact, when it comes to intra-company policy, they will also be able to create more holistic policies that take care of the people who work within the company as well. Considering all this, it’s no surprise that they can start their own businesses as well, using all the knowledge that they have gained from studying psychology in combination with any other interests they may have, to create something new and unique for all! Now that we’ve seen what possible career paths await those who are considering various career options for psychology, it’s important to mention something that is true not just in this field, but for all fields. A career is not made in one or two years – but rather it’s something that keeps getting created as and when you do your work every single day. So if you’re currently confused about where you’re headed, don’t get overwhelmed by the plethora of options in front of you! Just take it one day at a time and see which direction seems the most comfortable as well as challenging for you, and then slowly start taking steps in that direction. In no time, you will find that you have the career you’ve always wanted! Where Should You Begin? Taking the first steps in your psychology career need not be an all-consuming concern! If you already have a university degree, then you’re well set to begin with, and you may think about expanding your qualifications a bit. Alternatively, if you’re just starting out, you’re probably looking for something that best suits your needs as a beginner.

A lot of people who are new to psychology or are wondering how best to enter that realm in which they can learn all about the human mind can often be confused by a significant number of terms that can be very similar, both in spelling and in meaning. Thankfully, when it comes to psychology and physiology, the similarity is only in terms of the spelling – because we will soon see that the two terms refer to completely different things altogether, even though there is a catch! If you’ve considered studying psychology or physiology, but can’t make head or tail or what refers to which idea or concept exactly, then don’t worry – this is the article for you! Here we will discuss the differences between the two fields to some degree of detail, but we will make sure to mention the similarities as well since there are many. So, without further ado then, let’s get started. Differences Between Psychology and Physiology 1. Physiology Studies the Body, Psychology Studies the Mind Physiology as a field is all about the body – how it works, or rather, what makes it work. When looking specifically at physiology, a student understands the various functions of the body, including metabolic functions, digestion, respiration, blood circulation, movement, as well as muscle and bone structure, to mention a few things. Physiology also looks at different animals as well and compares the structural layout of humans with that of various animals to see how certain functions stack up. Psychology on the other hand is primarily about the human mind. A psychology student spends time trying to understand what kind of thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are learned by a particular person and how they are implemented through their actions. In this sense, a psychology student primarily tries to understand all the different kinds of data that goes into the mind of a person, and how that person understands this data. This is where different schools of psychology come in, and the various approaches that psychology students learn to go into making sense of human behaviour. 2. Physiologists Primarily Help with Diagnostics, While Psychologists are Employed for Broader Purposes  If you’ve studied as a physiologist, your primary source of employment will be in a hospital as a person who works alongside doctors to understand the source of a patient’s problem and to recommend remedies to it. In addition, you can also become a physiotherapist, or you can become a research assistant if the theoretical world interests you. If you’re a psychologist, however, you can find employment in various areas – not only can you work in a hospital as a psychologist, you can also start your own clinic and take clients privately, you can start your own supervision group, or you can become a lecturer in a university to teach young and enthusiastic children about the wonders of psychology. In general, psychology, due to its proclivity towards other disciplines, renders well to career expansion. But this isn’t the case for physiology at all. The reason this is the case is that physiology isn’t usually considered to be a separate school in its own right, as much as it is considered to be a part of the journey of becoming a doctor. Psychology, on the other hand, doesn’t have this problem, since it is a well-established discipline now which, even though it can function as an auxiliary to some disciplines, has a lot of merits to be studied in its own right. This doesn’t reflect anything about the inherent value of a field – only how society has viewed it for the most part. With all this being said, we understand that there is a significant difference between the two fields. One is related solely to the body, while the other focuses hugely on the mind. However, there still remains one major similarity between the two fields, which connects them both together at their very core. Also Read: Difference between Psychologists and Psychiatrists A Binding Similarity Between the Two Fields You may have heard the phrase that one needs to be healthy in both mind and body. Or that mental health is as important as physical health if not more. And this is where physiology and psychology are both connected – ultimately they are both fields that are concerned with making humans live to their fullest potential, whether it be by fixing the body or the mind. So, they take different points of inquiry and different approach points, but ultimately the larger goal remains the same! Also, another notable fact is that, although physiology doesn’t directly look at psychology at any point, psychology does encompass certain parts of physiology, depending on the school that’s in consideration. For instance, one of the tenets of positive psychology is that physical exercise is really important for mental health because there is a certain rush of positive hormones in the brain due to working out that immensely helps when it comes to curing depression. In this way, certain schools of psychology actually look at physiological processes as well, further connecting the two fields. Checkout: Skills Needed to become Psychologist Choose the One that’s the Best Fit for you! Now that you’ve read about the two fields in detail, you can choose the one that’s the right fit for you. Also, of course, if you ever want to change careers, it’s always possible to do that. But keep in mind that there’s a way to extend one career into another as well – and psychology definitely provides greater leeway to make that happen than physiology. All the best with whatever you decide to take up!

Psychology and philosophy share the same roots: both study primarily of human beings, although one revolves around what the human condition is (philosophy), while the other tries to understand why the human condition is what it is (psychology) and how it functions exactly, given particular contextual locations. However, in terms of historical approaches, philosophy far precedes psychology, being born several centuries before the birth of psychology officially took place. This needs to be clarified right at the beginning, that although the fields share similarities, one clearly outweighs the other in terms of the time of conception, as well as overall concern. Owing to this fact, all of the psychology can be said to be a part of philosophy, at least in as much as all psychological positions have philosophical underpinnings or precedents. With that said, let’s take a look at some of the differences. Given that the scope of these subjects is vast and that it won’t be possible to do justice to them without delivering several hours’ worth of lectures, the explanations will be brief. But they will definitely convey the spirit of both the fields! Differences Between Psychology and Philosophy 1. Philosophy Studies all of the Wisdom, While Psychology Studies “The Soul” Philosophy’s central concern is significantly vaster than that of psychology. While psychology only takes a look at how human beings function, what are their motivations, what determines their likes and dislikes, etc., philosophy asks larger questions about the nature of existence – what is the point of living a life if it can be said to have one? What is the nature of knowledge? How do we know that the nature of our experiences is real and not false? These are some of the central concerns of philosophy. Psychology, however, looks at the human mind – at perception, memory, and interpersonal relationships. Therefore, psychology has a much more limited set of questions to grapple with. This doesn’t necessarily mean that philosophy is better than psychology, or vice versa. It simply means that they are different fields which have different concerns. 2. Philosophy Tends to be More on the Observational, Notional Spectrum, While Psychology is Usually Observable Philosophy can be divided into certain branches, such as epistemology (the study of knowledge), phenomenology (the study of experience), axiology (the study of ethics and aesthetics), metaphysics (the study of the nature of reality) and logic. Most of these branches require no physical experimentation to be done – of course, a part of this reason is that there were no experimental labs when philosophy first began in Ancient Greece. Even now, the concept of philosophical labs doesn’t quite exist. What does exist, however, are the millions of books through which philosophy students conduct their research and arrive at hard-thought answers for their questions. Psychology, on the other hand, relies on observable phenomena, for the most part. There are some exceptions to this since not all schools of psychology are eminently observable (psychoanalysis being a huge example). But this holds true for the most part, that psychologists do their research through experiments and by analysing data. This is a key bit of difference, even though there is scope for doing just qualitative research in psychology, the opportunities are few and far between – and only if you can prove that there is a certain practical relevance. 3. Studying Philosophy Leads to Significantly Different Jobs Than Studying Psychology This is perhaps an underrated difference, but in terms of causality, it is definitely something that can’t be ignored. Philosophy is a very demanding subject, as is psychology. But as we saw before, there are certain philosophical stances that can be taken even within psychology. So, for example, the Cognitive Behavioural school of psychology is empiricist, insofar as their conclusions rely completely on observable phenomena. While psychoanalysis doesn’t rely on rationality at all, posing a challenge to the very foundation of the philosophical pillars of rationality. Again, this is meant to serve as an illustrative example, and shouldn’t be taken on face value.  The point, basically, is this: that studying psychology leads to very different kinds of employment opportunities than studying philosophy will do. Modes of training and training material aside, this is relevant since a psychologist can end up as a researcher, a psychotherapist, or a counsellor. However, a philosophy graduate will more likely find jobs as a tertiary educator, writer, researcher, and academic writer. This is definitely the kind of information that can change the direction a person wants to take – and even change what they consider doing for their bachelor’s degree! Also Read: Psychology vs Sociology Nurture your Curiosity Now that you’re aware of the differences between psychology and philosophy, you should have more clarity about exactly what you want to study going forward. But the best part about having such a wide range of literature to choose from when it comes to studying is perhaps one of the best things about studying in the first place! So don’t worry too much about which of your interests lies squarely in which field, because there’s a great chance of a huge overlap. Just focus on doing a degree in the larger field, and keep nurturing all your small curiosities! Conclusion Psychology offers interesting job prospects for those who find themselves inclined towards studying people and finding out all about how they work. And if you’re interested in the field, you should definitely pursue a career in it! If you’re worried that you don’t have these skills yet – well, that’s what you will learn as you study Psychology, so that’s not going to be a problem at all! You should take the first couple of steps on a very long journey, and the rest will fall into place.

For anyone who is considering psychology as a career, a wonderful and rewarding life awaits them! As a field, it has constantly grown and changed over the years, at each step incorporating contemporary thinking into its fold and contributing in a significant manner to the vision of the time. It may be tempting to say that a certain type of person will do well in the field of psychology owing to how it relates to the field, but that’s far from the truth. The field is so vast, and there is so much to be discovered and explored in psychology, that anybody who has the right kind of attitude can get a grasp over the particular thing they’re looking to master! But with that said, there are some skills that you will inevitably have to develop as you journey on your path to becoming a psychologist, whether your journey culminates as a clinical psychologist or a school counsellor. If you’re considering a career, this following list will become indispensable for you, since you will know exactly which skills for psychology you will need the most. Essential Skills for Psychology 1. Critical Thinking In many ways, critical thinking is a mainstay of psychology. Everything you study in psychology makes you more critically aware of what’s going on in the world around you, as well as how you contribute to it. So, it is needless to say that this is a skill you’ll be developing as and when you do your studying. Besides, you will also get a chance to exercise your critical thinking skills on a daily basis – because not everything can be unilaterally applied to every person. Psychology, after all, is a study of people, and as far as that aspect is concerned, it is subjective and not objective. Where you need to be objective and where subjectivity should take the foreground is an important example of how you can exercise your critical thinking skills. 2. Qualitative Research Qualitative research, building upon critical thinking in some ways, asks you to take a closer look at what you’re reading and consider the nature of the information instead of just accepting it as a given. After all, as a psychologist, you will be spending a major chunk of time looking at different research papers and conducting your own experiments. This means that you’ll be considering qualitative questions and how to approach them, and whether a certain approach can be advantageous or disadvantageous in some respects. In addition, finding information that is relevant for your work and being able to make sense of it are two very important things in the field of psychology! 3. Quantitative Research Working with numbers is yet another thing that psychologists need to be able to achieve. After all, psychology is often done at scale, dealing with a significant volume of data so that the correct insights can be achieved. If you really don’t like dealing with numbers, then there are some branches of psychology where it may not be absolutely essential to include statistics, but for the most part, it’s a given that numbers will have to be dealt with. And why not? It makes one a more competent and objective researcher! 4. Patience Patience is not just a skill that is demanded by the field of psychology alone. Pretty much every field that you can go into will have this requirement – especially at the initial stages, if not at the later stages. And the various demands that life puts on you will also require some patience to deal with! More specifically, however, how it functions as one of the skills for psychology is that it teaches you to wait for your clients and patients to get better. Nobody recovers at the same pace, and some even dwindle and retreat before they start to make a full recovery. Without patience, you will not have the right frame of mind to be able to help them during their lowest phases. 5. Ethical Understanding An understanding of ethics is indispensable when it comes to working in the field of psychology. Clients and patients of all types trust their psychologists with information that is extremely sensitive, and which must be treated with the utmost respect. And this becomes even more important when the matter at hand is concerning boundaries. Whenever it’s a matter of understanding something that can be interpreted in the advantage of the psychologist rather than the patient or client, it means that the psychologist needs to be extremely careful about how they conduct themselves – not only for the sake of their own professional reputation but more importantly for the client, who may further suffer is something goes wrong in that vein. 6. Open-Minded Approach Psychologists need to look at things from a variety of perspectives. It doesn’t do justice to a particular question, idea, or thought if even before considering it completely, certain perspectives are ruled out in favour of others. This open-mindedness is helpful in a lot of areas – firstly, as a theoretical researcher, when a psychologist can consider all the different perspectives that are important, and can truly build a unique viewpoint as a result. Secondly, it is also essential as a practitioner, as it allows them to look beyond their own shortcomings (or blind spots, even), to consider what may be their client’s reality – even if it’s beyond what they imagine! Also Read: Highest Paying Jobs in India Conclusion Psychology offers interesting job prospects for those who find themselves inclined towards studying people and finding out all about how they work. And if you’re interested in the field, you should definitely pursue a career in it! If you’re worried that you don’t have these skills yet – well, that’s what you will learn as you study Psychology, so that’s not going to be a problem at all! You should take the first couple of steps on a very long journey, and the rest will fall into place.