Applied Psychology

The basic premise of applied psychology is the use of psychological principles and theories to overcome problems in real life situations. Many areas of our lives and society have been influenced and changed by the often unnoticed application of psychological principles. Mental health organizational psychology business management education health product design ergonomics and law are just a few of the areas that have been influenced by the application of psychological principles and findings. The umbrella of applied psychology includes the areas of clinical psychology counselling psychology industrial and organizational psychology occupational health psychology human factors forensic psychology engineering psychology as well as many other areas such as school psychology sports psychology and community psychology. In addition a number of specialized areas in the general field of psychology have applied branches. However the lines between sub-branch specializations and major applied psychology categories are often blurred. For example a human factors psychologist might use a cognitive psychology theory. Is this human factor psychology or applied cognitive psychology? So what sets applied psychology apart from other categories of psychology? An example helps to best explain this. Lets say there is a small team of cognitive psychologists researching attention span. They like many researchers are at a university using 18 year old undergrads as participants in the lab located next door to their office. They collect statistically significant data and develop a model for how to suddenly grab a person’s attention. In the preparation of this book it has been the author’s aim to keep in mind not only the requirements of students in this subject but as well the needs of student. Contents: • Signal Detection Theory • Perceptual Styles • Learning Theories: Hull Tolman Skinner • Cognitive Approaches in Learning: Latent Learning Observational Learning • Experimental Analysis of Behaviour: Behaviour Modification Shaping Discrimination Learning • Neurophysiology of Learning • Models of Memory: Atkinson and Shiffrin Craik and Lockhart Tulving • Semantic Memory: Episodic Trace Model and Network Model • Long-term Memory: Retrieval Cues Flashbulb Memory Constructive Processes in Memory Eyewitness Testimony Autobiographical Memory • Biological Basis of Memory: The Search for the Engram PET Scan and Biochemical Factors in Memory