Question

List the specialty areas in contemporary psychology, describe the focus of each, and distinguish between psychology and psychiatry.

Answer 1

The specialty areas in contemporary psychology include clinical psychology, cognitive psychology, counseling psychology, and developmental psychology. These areas focus on diagnosing and treating psychological disorders, studying thoughts and experiences, improving the lives of psychologically healthy individuals, and studying human development, respectively. Psychology and psychiatry are related but distinct fields.

Step-by-step explanation:

The specialty areas in contemporary psychology include:

1. Clinical Psychology: This area focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders and problematic patterns of behavior.
2. Cognitive Psychology: This field studies thoughts and their relationship to experiences and actions.
3. Counseling Psychology: The focus here is on improving various aspects of the lives of psychologically healthy individuals, such as emotional and social well-being.
4. Developmental Psychology: This area involves the scientific study of development across a lifespan.

Psychology and psychiatry are related but distinct fields. Psychology tends to focus on understanding and explaining human behavior, whereas psychiatry is a branch of medicine that deals with diagnosing and treating mental disorders.