The Process of Psychology Research

Psychology is the science that deals with the mind and behavior. From analyzing basic brain functions to examining complex social relationships, psychology research involves a wide range of studies that may include human and/or animal subjects. Understanding the research process of a psychologist involves learning the significance of the scientific method, which is the way that scientists and researchers come to conclusions regarding human behavior.

The Scientific Method is a set of principles and procedures that researchers use to create questions, collect data, and arrive at conclusions. This approach allows researchers to accomplish their goals for their psychological studies, which is to describe, explain, predict, and in some cases, influence processes or behaviors of the mind. The ultimate goal of scientific research in psychology is to illustrate behaviors and give details on why they take place. Researchers also strive to predict (and sometimes, modify) human behavior.

Before people begin the process of research, they must select a topic of study. Researchers then conduct an exhaustive review of existing publications and information that relates to the subject. In the end, it becomes clearer as to which topic questions remain unanswered. A researcher may examine books and academic journals that date back decades to assess the most relevant topics of study. All background material helps a researcher formulate the first step in the psychology research process – the hypothesis.

The four steps of the research process are:

Step 1 – Formulate a Testable Hypothesis: A hypothesis is an educated guess about the relationship between two or more variables, or a specific occurrence or trend. Researchers go on to provide an explanation of their research, which either proves or disproves their theories.

Step 2 – Create a Study and Collect Data: There are two basic types of research methods to consider that fit the need to collect data for a study – descriptive research and experimental research.

Step 3 – Examine Data and Reach Conclusions: A researcher looks over the information they collect, and with the help of statistics, they summarize the data, analyze results and draw conclusions about their findings.

Step 4 – Report the Findings of the Study: Researchers lastly share their findings by creating a description of the study, and publish an article in an academic or professional journal.

Types of Psychology Research Methods

Psychology research takes place inside of laboratories, and often includes experiments, testing, and the analysis of statistical data. Psychology researchers may also work in the field (gathering data in hospitals, schools, workplaces, and even on city streets) with a goal to observe and study behavior in their most naturally-occurring settings.

Not every psychology researcher will use the same methods to study their topic of interest, and it all depends on his or her sources of information, data samples, and data collection techniques.

A researcher may collect qualitative data, quantitative data, or both.

Qualitative psychological data involves research findings that do not include statistical or other related procedures, while quantitative psychological data involves research findings that incorporate a mathematical model or statistical estimation.

Common approaches and data collection methods for psychology research include:

• Case Studies: A thorough analysis of a single person, small group, or event, such as studying a man with a rare, incurable brain disease.
• Content Analysis: A study of recorded human communications, such as books, laws and art. Examples include the analysis of the speeches of Kennedy and Nixon in televised debates, or the examination of graffiti of males and females in public bathrooms.
• Cross Sectional Study: Samples of a population sheds light on information relating to specific measures. An example is a researcher who questions whether sugar consumption affects a specific health concern.
• Field Experiments: Traveling to hunter-gatherer regions in South America to test out universal relationship behaviors is an example of research that studies subjects in his or her natural setting.
• Survey: Random sampling of a population using a question-format collects valuable information. Examples include public health, market research, and government surveys.

Education Requirements of a Psychology Researcher

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, psychologists require a master’s, specialist, or doctoral degree in psychology. Those with an interest in conducting research or pursuing a career in academia require a master’s or doctorate degree.

A bachelor’s degree in psychology allows people to work as research or administrative assistants for psychologists. Other job prospects include becoming a technician in a related field (such as market research) or assisting psychologists in mental health centers and correctional programs. After acquiring years of experience under the guidance of professional psychologists, many people make the decision to pursue graduate and doctoral studies in psychology.

While the doctoral degree is the standard for independent research or practice in psychology, the number of psychology students who pursue a terminal master’s degree has increased sixfold since 1960 – master’s degrees totaled at least 21,400 in 2008. A master’s degree in psychology allows people to work as assistants under the supervision of doctoral-level psychologists. Master’s degree holders with several years of business experience obtain jobs in consulting and marketing research, while others land jobs within the government, universities, or the private sector as researchers, data collectors, and analysts.

A doctorate’s degree in psychology typically involves five to seven years of graduate study, which ends with a dissertation involving original research. The advanced degree opens many doors to opportunities involving research and teaching positions at universities, health care services, private industries, and with the government. Psychologists with a doctoral degree often choose to conduct their own research studies while accepting a career position in the meantime.

Individuals that obtain a higher level of psychology education and experience typically encounter a larger number of job offers and opportunities to conduct research over someone without an advanced degree, other credentials, and years of experience.

Ways to Gain Experience in Research Psychology

Students with an interest in pursuing the academia route of psychology benefit the most when they accumulate as much experience as possible. Those who start early gain a definite competitive edge.

“The most noticeable current trend is just how many undergraduates are getting involved in research,” says Gary W. Lewandowski Jr. Ph.D, the Department Chair of the Department of Psychology at Monmouth University. “Not only are more students getting involved, but more are doing so at a high level [such as] presenting at research conferences.”

The most important thing that Mitchell Metzger says he tells students about research is to get involved early. “We have many of our students helping out in the lab with research projects as early as their sophomore year,” says Metzger, a professor of Psychology at Ashland University (Ohio) and department chair since 2007. “When a student gets involved early in their undergraduate career, they really have the opportunity to build a variety of experiences by the time they graduate.”

He says that while the students may start out in ‘lower level’ research roles such as data collection and data entry, they are undergoing valuable preparation for diving more deeply into the research process.

The countless opportunities that a student can gain psychology research experience and knowledge are:

• Help Out a Professor – Dr. Lewandowski suggests getting started as early in your academic career as possible. “Even if you have not had a research class yet, if a professor is willing to have you help out, you will not only get a head start, but will learn a lot that will make taking the class easier,” he says. “The more experience you can get the better.”

• Find a Mentor – Some of the best ways to gain experience in psychology is learning from those already in the field. “The amount of work may be daunting at first, but just like anything else, you adjust over time and find new ways to manage,” says Kongit Farrell, who is a life and relationship coach with a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University. “Just keep at it and work on finding a mentor to help.”

• Attend or Present at a Psychology Conference – “We have a number of graduates with multiple conference presentations under their belts by the time they finish their bachelor’s degree, which is a huge advantage for them as they apply to graduate schools,” says Metzger. “Many graduate programs see undergraduate research experience as valuable, regardless of what the specific area of research might be that the student was involved in. 

• Write and Publish Articles and Papers – “It is becoming more necessary for undergraduates to have co-authored journal articles in order to get into Ph.D. programs after college,” says Dr. Lewandowski.

• Become a Research Assistant – Obtaining a research assistant position is a valuable opportunity to gain experience, and forge professional connections that can help in the future. Universities, hospitals, and private organizations hire assistants to conduct research on psychology projects. Having previous experience working in labs or on academic research projects improves the chance of being accepted into advanced degree programs and research jobs after graduation.

• Join a Psychology Organization – There are psychology-related organizations and associations that cater to varying ethnicities, regions, nations, and fields of study. For example, the Association for Psychological Science has more than 20,000 members and is the largest general psychology organization that mainly concentrates on research.

• Read APA Magazines and Newsletter Articles – Reading APA magazine and newsletter articles about research tools and methods, as well as the Monitor on Psychology and gradPSYCH magazines keep students in tune with the latest in psychology research.

• Independent Research with Faculty Advisor – Taking advantage of independent research and study projects allows undergraduate students to work closely with professors who serve as advisors. The student and faculty usually share a mutual interest. These professors can also write strong letters of recommendation for future graduate study, which demonstrates a student’s ability to work independently.

“A growing trend [in the field of research psychology] is the recognition of the value of undergraduate research for building critical thinking skills, analytical skills, and communication skills,” says Lewandowski.

Graduate school programs aim to further strengthen these necessary qualities and skills of someone with an interest in pursuing a career in psychology research. This includes:

• Analytical skills help students perform psychological research by sharpening their ability to examine information and draw logical conclusions.
• Communication skills aid a psychologists’ ability to listen to and speak with subjects.
• Observational skills help a psychologist study attitude and behavior by perfecting their ability to analyze the facial expressions, actions, interactions, and body positions of people.
• Patience allows researchers to deal with subjects who exhibit mental or behavioral disorders.
• People skills help researchers work well with their test subjects, interviewees, and other medical professionals.
• Problem-solving skills assist researchers in pinpointing treatments and solutions pertaining to mental and behavioral issues.

Before Applying to Graduate Schools for Psychology Research

Acceptance rates to graduate psychology programs range between one and five percent, which leads schools to advise serious students to dedicate a great deal of time preparing and researching their options before applying to psychology graduate programs.

Students with an interest in graduate-level psychology research tend to experience a more beneficial application process when they pinpoint a specific area of study before applying.

Conducting an ample amount of research also makes final school selections much easier to achieve, and helps iron out the details of future plans. It is important for students to apply to a program that accommodates their values, abilities and interests. Finding the right graduate program is one of the keys to succeeding in the psychology research field.

Dr. Lewandowski is a researcher who studies intimate relationships and the self. He says that this subject allows him to concentrate on topics that he is ‘eternally curious about’ regarding what makes some relationships successful while others fail, such as attraction, cheating, and break-ups.

“From my experience, students can learn the importance of staying true to your interests,” says Lewandowski. “I love what I research, which has made it a lot easier to be successful.

Incorporating the primary interests of a student with the availability of specialty programs and personal criteria such as location, cost of tuition and time commitments, helps students narrow down their options for choosing the right psychology graduate school.

A good resource for researching psychology graduate programs of interest is the American Psychological Association, which publishes the Graduate Study in Psychology and Related Fields – a listing of  all graduate programs in North America by state and subject area. The Princeton Review also provides helpful information. Books on graduate programs are also available at the school library, career services office, and campus bookstores.

Some experts recommend applying to at least six graduate psychology schools, while others suggest applying to as many as 20. However, application fees get expensive, so requesting applications only from the schools a student truly wishes to attend will help them stick to a budget. Therefore, spending quality time investigating available options not only makes the overall application process easier, but also saves money.

How to Apply to Graduate Schools for Psychology Research

Students who prepare early and get acquainted with the psychology graduate school application process face an easier road towards fulfilling their research career goals. Aside from filling out the proper forms, maintaining an acceptable GPA, and demonstrating research experience, there are four significant components relating to the typical application package – official undergraduate transcripts, Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, a personal statement, and letters of recommendation.

Schools generally expect applicants to fulfill the following:

1. Submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and other test scores – Most psychology graduate schools require GRE scores – a computer-based test that students take well before application deadlines. The GRE includes electronic testing that rates a student’s Verbal, Quantitative, Analytical Writing aptitude. Many graduate schools also request the results of the Psychology Subject Exam – a paper test that is held three times a year.

2. Maintain a strong undergraduate GPA – Advanced degree programs in psychology typically accept applicants who possess a median GPA of 3.7 with a GRE score more than 1100, and relevant research experience. For some master’s programs in psychology, a GPA of 3.4 is fairly competitive. For doctoral programs, students fair well with a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

3. Furnish exemplary letters of recommendation – Professors often tell students to discuss recommendations well in advance with faculty members in a face-to-face manner. Faculty members that a student takes at least two courses and performs at a high level (preferably a combination of no less than ‘A’ and ‘B’ grades) make the best choices. Academic interaction outside of class with the professors is a plus.

4. Write a personal statement (or statement of purpose) – A student’s statement is his or her chance to add a personal touch to the application process. It sets students apart from one another, and gives the opportunity to share specific interests in the field, strengths, skills, career goals, and aspirations. A student often shares the reason why they are applying to a specific program. The selection committee uses a personal statement to assess a student’s writing ability, as well as determine who the best fit for their program is.

5. Prepare a vita – Students wishing to enter a graduate or doctoral program for research psychology write a vita, which is basically an academic resume. Typical features include professional/academic honors and awards, honor Society memberships, Dean’s List recognition, research concentration, presentations at professional conferences or workshops, publications, and memberships in professional organizations.

6. Demonstrate relevant research or work experience – Having research and experience in psychology significantly boosts the value of an application. Work and volunteer activities in psychology also highlight a student’s enthusiasm and commitment to the field.

Psychology Research Grants and Scholarships

There are numerous research grants and scholarship opportunities available for students looking to fund their pursuit of obtaining an advanced degree in psychology. A few options include:

• APAGS/Psi Chi Junior Scientist Fellowship – promotes psychological science and the needs of students entering a research-oriented graduate program.
• Basic Psychological Science Research Grant – supports graduate students conducting psychological science research studies.
• The APAGS Diversity Dissertation Scholarship – encourages research regarding issues of diversity, such as women’s issues, ageism and disability.
• The Nancy B. Forest and L. Michael Honaker Master’s Scholarship for Research in Psychology – funds thesis research for master’s students.
• The Scott Mesh Honorary Scholarship for Research in Psychology – supports dissertation research leading to a doctoral degree.
• The APAGS LGBT Dissertation Scholarship – encourages research pertaining to LGBT concerns.

Challenges of Becoming a Psychology Researcher

Graduate programs in psychology prepare students for the oftentimes rigorous schedule of juggling numbers and sorting endless information – skills a student needs to work on as an undergrad. But first, students must find his or her niche, and solidify their position within the field.

Lewandowski says that students may face the challenge of finding a professor who does research in the exact topic of their interest. “However, the good news is that any research experience is good research experience, and the exact topic is less important,” he adds. “Even if you know you want to go on to study treatments for anorexia, your undergraduate research does not need to have the same focus.”

Sometimes, the challenge is not finding a professor within the same niche to study under, but instead, locating people who are open to new theories and approaches within the field.

“I focus on applying biological concepts to social science,” says Farrell, who studies topics such as why women and men make the choices they do in relationships. “It’s a relatively new approach and because of this, sometimes people have not been receptive to my ideas.”

However, Farrell says that over time, more people grew to realize that her work was correct, but she mentions that “being a thought leader in any profession can be daunting.”

“You just have to do good work, have faith in your vision, stick to your guns, and keep moving forward,” adds Farrell. She also says that developing a supportive group of friends, mentors, and loved ones makes a great deal of difference.

Becoming a psychologist that concentrates on research is often a time-consuming journey.

“One of the main challenges for our students is prioritizing their time to fit research into their busy lives,” notes Metzger. “Once a student buys in to the idea that these experiences will be valuable to them, they’ll need to prioritize their time to do these experiences as they are often completed outside the context of a class they are taking [for example]…they do research in their spare time.”

Metzger says that some of the students at Ashland University may only have a few hours each week to devote to research, while others have considerably more time in the schedules for such activities. “Regardless of how much time they have to engage in the research process,” adds Metzger. “Any exposure will be better than no exposure.”

Farrell is also a reminder to students to remain steadfast in the field.

“Be prepared for long hours, and a lot of numerical and data analysis work,” says Farrell. “On the flip side, this work could lead you to a very rewarding and financially lucrative career stretching from

entertainment, to business to health to politics; the world can be your oyster!”

Job Prospects for Psychology Researchers

Upon graduation, psychology researchers typically find jobs either out in the field, inside a classroom, or in a laboratory. The majority of lab research takes place in universities, government agencies (such as the National Institute of Health), and private research organizations. Some graduates may find employment in management or administration after serving many years as an active researcher.

Psychology researchers may work independently, join a team, or participate in collective research on a national or global level. In 2010, psychologists held about 174,000 jobs: working self-employed (about 34 percent), in educational services (29 percent), and in healthcare settings (20 percent). Some non-profit organizations and many colleges will hire people with a bachelor’s degree in psychology to conduct research. A few government organizations and some private businesses may do the same.

The APA tells students to pool their resources and experiences as they look for a psychology research position, including internships, participating in service learning events, and even volunteering at a school. Eric Landrum, PhD, author of “Finding Jobs with a Psychology Bachelor’s Degree,” says that networking is critical. Staying in contact with professors and faculty is also an asset since graduates still require references and letters of recommendation when applying for psychology jobs.

However, it is the graduate with an advanced degree in psychology and solid experience under his or her belt that qualifies for more job opportunities. There are also many job positions available that incorporate other areas of interest, such as:

• Alcohol and Drug Research: Example studies of interest include the impact of alcohol and drug abuse, fetal alcohol syndrome, long-term effects of a drug on the central nervous system, or a drug’s impact on a pregnancy.

• Experimental Research: Researchers that enjoy conducting experiments in a lab often explore the cause and effect of human behavior, physiology, and psychology. They rely heavily upon test results, surveys, questionnaires, and observations.

• Medical School Research: Speaks best to graduates with an interest in medicine, academia, obtaining grants/fellowships, and lecturing.

• Military Research: Researchers may study post-traumatic stress disorder, the effects of war on soldiers during enlistment, depression and aggression within the armed forces, and drug use after retirement.

• Nutrition Research: Questionnaires, surveys, and interviews help researchers study the eating habits of males and females, and sometimes involve issues, such as bulimia, anorexia, excessive weight control and malnutrition.

• Social Research: Surveys, interviews, and observation helps with the field study of social issues, such as criminal activity, homelessness, and poverty.

Trends in Psychology Research

As the American population evolves, the demand for clinical and research psychologists increases. Research psychologists fill the duties of identifying the services and solutions that benefit an aging population who is living longer, and facing an upsurge in mental and physical obstacles.

Farrell says she is seeing a switch from compartmentalization to integration within the field. “…psychology is no longer just about your findings,” she says. “…but finding out ways to apply your findings to other disciplines.

Psychology researchers play roles such as assisting in the development of programs for special groups, such as veterans with war trauma, individuals with autism, patients with mental disorders, and people with job stress.

The opportunities for people with advanced degrees in psychology are expanding in number, as there is a greater need to move towards illness prevention rather than simply making a diagnosis and treatment plan. The majority of today’s issues within society involve behavior problems that include chronic health conditions or disease, drug addiction, poor personal relationships, disregard for the environment, and violence. Research psychologists play a greater role in contributing solutions to these problems by using thoughtful methods of data collection and analysis that helps develop effective intervention strategies.

The increasing diversity throughout America places research psychologists in higher demand to develop and enhance existing treatments and approaches to meet the growing needs of people representing different races and ethnicities.

Just as a constantly evolving society affects psychology research, advancements in technology also play a role in the current trends sweeping the field, such as:

• The Internet: The Internet changes the face of data collection and the exchange of information. The advantages, such as having a greater access to research, helps improve the science of psychology. Research psychologists use prominent online databases, such as PsychInfo and ERIC, to aid the literature review process.

Psychologists also use email alerts to receive updates regarding the leading publications in the field. Other benefits include the sharing of cross-cultural psychology ideas, the ability to conduct online experiments, and the creation of archived data sets for secondary analysis.

Online research also has its downfalls that can detract from the validity and effectiveness of studies, including the potential for obtaining and spreading misinformation. One of the reasons the American Psychological Association’s online journal Prevention & Treatment is a success hinges upon maintaining a high standard of scholarship. Not all resources follow suit, which causes a detrimental effect on the outcome of studies and data analysis.

Researchers who use the Internet as a tool for data collection must seek out reputable methods and sources of information, such as specially designed websites, highly rated, well-organized databases, and efficient software.

• Advancements in Equipment and Software: Advancements in equipment and software play a significant part in the research process of psychologists that go beyond the distribution of research findings and using typical methods of data collection. Take the growth of Imaging and Computer Modeling equipment for example – researchers benefit from obtaining high resolution pictures of the brain to make determinations regarding certain cognitive processes.

Other examples of advanced technology include the MRI, thermal imaging, real-time tracking software, computer-assisted therapies, and upgraded electronic data collection tools, such as video recorders and tablet apps.

Psychologists generally keep up with the latest trends in research psychology by following current news, attending conferences, networking with colleagues, and continuing to learn more about their field. For example, psychological researchers can gain training and hands-on experience in a variety of areas by taking part in APA Advanced Training Institutes (ATIs), which exposes participants to emerging technologies and the most current research methodologies.

CONCLUSION

To break into the research or academics field of psychology, students need to prepare for graduate and/or doctoral studies as early as possible. It’s a long, rewarding journey involving a lot of hard work and patience. The American Psychological Association (APA) suggests that students with an interest in pursuing a career in psychology research need to “beef up” his or her resume, get published, and remain flexible in today’s ever-fluctuating academic setting.

Whether we know it or not, every day we are affected in some way by the environments we live, work and play in. For example, some environments may make us feel secure or productive, while others may make us feel cramped or nervous. An “environment” can refer to a number of different settings, large or small, natural or man-made. An environment can also be considered certain situations as well, such as a social situation or family situation.  A few of the common environments that humans surround themselves with include:

• Homes
• Workplaces
• Schools
• Stores
• Cultural centers
• Towns
• Cities
• Natural settings

Environmental psychology is a field of psychology that focuses on the study of how humans are affected by their environments, or surroundings. They study human reactions to environments in order to gain some insight on how the environments can be changed to manipulate people’s feelings, thoughts, and possibly actions in them. For example, an environmental psychologist might study store patrons in to figure out how to make them stay longer and purchase more. Or they might study employees in a company to figure out how to make them more productive.

Why Do We Need Environmental Psychologists?

As mentioned above, our surroundings affect us much more than many of us even realize. Did you know that windows that are too small or ceilings that are two low can make most people feel as though they are in a tiny, cramped room? However, a larger window and higher ceilings in a room of the same size typically feels much larger to us.

An environmental psychologist’s purpose is to determine which aspects of an environment can be changed to change a person’s perception of their environment, and how those changes should take place. Generally speaking, an environmental psychologist can help manipulate how people feel and act in certain spaces.

Of course, environmental psychologists will typically use their power for good rather than evil, and use their skills to create more pleasant environments for everyone. One example is the work of an environmental psychologist in a workspace; by changing just a few aspects of the space – paintings, lighting, or certain restrictions – an environmental psychologist can create a space where employees feel more comfortable and therefore more productive.

What Does an Environmental Psychologist Do?

Many environmental psychologists choose to specialize in specific areas of this field. Some work to create more harmonious interior spaces, for instance, while others work to create more pleasant and enjoyable outdoor spaces.

One of the main duties of environmental psychologists is to study humans and their reactions to certain aspects of their environments. Through these studies, psychologists will often see how people’s actions and thoughts are affected by their environments. This might be done through direct observation, or through focus groups or surveys. Armed with this knowledge, these psychologists can make a reasonable assumption as to how the environments can be changed for the better.

Environmental psychologists will also usually make suggestions on how to change these environments in order to accomplish certain goals. These goals may be as simple as making people feel more at ease in certain social situations to making people feel more comfortable as they walk through their cities.

As an environmental psychologist, you might also have a hand in creating spaces and environments for people to live, work, play, and relax in. For example, you might be called upon to help set up the interior of a building or recommend design elements that create a sense of well-being. Overall, the role of an environmental psychologist focuses on solving problems and creating positive perception of spaces, big and small.

What are the Education Requirements for an Environmental Psychology Career?

If you wish to pursue an environmental psychology career, you should start by earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology or similar subject. You should then go on to earn at least a graduate degree in environmental psychology, or even a graduate degree in psychology with a concentration in environmental psychology. Although you may be able to find some entry-level positions with just a master’s degree, you should strongly consider earning your doctoral degree, as this will help open doors to more employment positions.

While you are earning your psychology degree, you’ll most likely take a number of courses in the principles of psychology as well as courses in human perception and sociology. Some courses that you might take may include social psychology, social ecology, environmental science, human perception, public space, and urban studies.

Where Do Environmental Psychologists Work?

Environmental psychologists will often be able to find employment in a number of different areas. For instance, they might work in the public or private sectors, doing research and consulting. Architecture firms, government agencies, urban planning centers, and consumer research centers might also have a need for an environmental psychologist.

Probation is a type of punishment that a person can be sentenced to when found guilty of a crime. It can be used in conjunction with or in lieu of incarceration. For instance, a person may be sentenced to a year of probation, or six months of incarceration and six months of probation. During the specified probationary period, a person is typically forbidden from partaking in certain activities, such as drug use, and required to fulfill certain requirements, such as substance abuse treatment.

A probation officer is a professional that monitors offenders and makes sure that they abide by the rules and follow the conditions of the probation. Although they have some similar duties, parole officers and probation officers are actually very different. For instance, parole officers monitor offenders that have warranted an early release from a correctional facility; these are typically violent or repeat offenders. Probation officers, on the other hand, typically monitor nonviolent or first-time offenders, or offenders that have committed minor crimes.

As the population of our country continues to grow, so will criminal activity – no matter how hard we work to prevent it. Because of this, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the need for qualified probation officers will grow in the coming years. Although a career as a probation officer can be somewhat stressful, it can also be very rewarding. Not only will you be in a growing law enforcement career, but you also have the ability to make a difference in someones life and help cut down on crime.

What are the education requirements for becoming a probation Officer?

Typically, in order to become a probation officer, you need to hold a bachelor’s degree in corrections, criminal justice, or psychology. Whichever major you choose, your coursework should reflect that you have an in-depth understanding of things like criminal behavior, the justice system, substance abuse, and abnormal psychology.

Experience working in a related field may also be required by many employers. This can include employment or an internship in a field such as law enforcement, mental health counseling, or substance abuse treatment. A special probation officer training program is also usually required and may be provided by employers.

Why do we need probation officers?

On average, it costs thousands of dollars to keep a single inmate each year. Probation is a much less costly alternative to incarceration, on the other hand, since there’s no incarceration expenses.

Probation officers help keep inmates out of already crowded correctional facilities and reduce the amount that taxpayers need to pay to keep inmates incarcerated. They also work hard to help rehabilitate criminals and try to keep them on the right side of the law.

What do probation officers do?

As a probation officer, you will have a number of duties and responsibilities.

First, you will often be responsible for evaluating offenders. To do this, you may need to interview them and examine their criminal history as well as their current crime. Based on this information, you can make recommendations to judges regarding possible sentencing and treatment, and help set the conditions of probation.

Another big part of your job would be to make sure that the offenders under your watch don’t break any conditions of their probation and complete all necessary requirements. For instance, you may be required to make sure that offenders follow through with substance abuse treatment and don’t participate in any criminal activities while on probation.

Regular meetings with probation offenders is also usually necessary. During these meetings, offenders may give their probation officers updates on their situations, pay fines, or give samples of urine for drug and alcohol testing. These meetings also give probation officers a chance to make sure offenders are following through with the requirements of their probation, such as mental health counseling.

In some cases, probationers may break the conditions of their parole, either by committing a crime or leaving a specified jurisdiction without permission. When this happens, probation officers have the ability to arrest these offenders and possibly recommend that they serve out the rest of their probation sentence behind bars.

Where do probation officers work?

Probation officers are typically employed by state and county governments, and usually work in probation offices. Due to the nature of this career, however, probation officers may also be required to travel.

What is the salary of a probation officer?

According to the Bureau of labor Statistics, the mean annual salary of probation officers and correctional treatment specialists was $47,840 / $23.00 hourly in 2011. However, a probation officer’s salary may also be influenced by education, experience, and location. For example, probation officers with advanced degrees and extensive experience will often be able to command higher salaries. Also, probation officers in densely populated areas, like large cities, also typically bring in higher salaries.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, an estimated 1.6 million inmates were guests of state and federal prisons in the United States in 2010. As our population increases, that number is expected to increase in the coming years as well. While a small percentage of inmates may never get out, thousands of former inmates are released back into their communities each and every day, and most of these inmates are released on parole.

Parole is the release of an inmate before the end of the maximum sentence. Inmates are released on parole on a number of conditions, however, and parole can be revoked at any time for a number of reasons. If a parolee breaks any of the conditions of his parole, he is sent back to prison to finish out his sentence.

Because being released back into society can be very difficult for most parolees, a parole officer is assigned to each parolee. A parole officer’s job is to assist and monitor parolees as they adjust to their new-found freedom. They help former inmates with everything from finding employment to dealing with old problems, like substance abuse. A parole officer may also be the one to decide whether a parolee goes back to prison.

At times, being a parole officer can be a dangerous job, but it can also be very rewarding. For instance, although parole officers work with potentially dangerous criminals every day, they also have the chance to help parolees reform and rehabilitate themselves.

What are the necessary education requirements for becoming a parole officer?

In order to become a parole officer, you must hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in corrections, psychology, criminal justice, social work, or a related degree. Federal parole officers, however, require applicants to hold master’s degrees in one of these areas.

In addition, parole officer applicants must also pass a battery of tests, including psychological and physical examinations, to be considered for parole officer positions.

Why do we need parole officers?

Being released from a correctional institute is not only difficult for parolees, but also for their loved ones and communities. As a former inmate, it can be difficult to find work or even a place to live. Among all of the obstacles that parolees need to deal with, they are also faced with the possibility of falling back into their old ways and returning to prison.

Parole officers try to ensure that parolees are able to reintegrate back into society and adjust to their new lives. By monitoring parolees and helping them rehabilitate themselves, parole officers help keep citizens safe, reduce crime rates, and keep inmates out of the already crowded correctional facilities.

What do parole officers do?

Parole officers work closely with other correctional professionals and parolees. Usually, parole officers focus on working only with adults or juveniles, though occasionally they may work with both.

Before an inmate is even released from prison, a parole officer will usually develop a plan for him or her. This is usually done after meeting with and interviewing an inmate. When creating a parole plan, parole officers will take a number of things into consideration, including the wants, needs, and abilities of the parolees.

One of the main responsibilities of a parole officer is to ensure that their parolees follow all conditions of their parole. This often involves finding and retaining employment, finding a suitable place to live, getting treatment for any mental health issues they may have, and generally staying out of trouble. To accomplish all of this, parole officers may help by pointing their parolees in the right direction. For instance, they may set up interviews with potential employers or referring parolees to mental health treatment facilities, such as substance abuse centers.

As a parole officer, you will also be responsible for monitoring and evaluating parolees. You will often have regular meetings to check their progress and possibly administer drug and alcohol tests. Monitoring parolees may also involve traveling to their homes or places of work, as well as communicating with loved ones, doctors, or employers.

Where do parole officers work?

Typically, parole officers work for county and state parole offices. However, this often involves traveling to court houses and correctional facilities. Parole officers are also sometimes required to travel to their parolees homes and places of employment.

What is the salary of a parole officer?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, parole officers had a mean salary of $47,840 / $23 hourly in 2011. Your salary will usually be based on a number of factors, however, such as location, education, and employer.

As one would imagine, being incarcerated is one of the most stressful and emotionally disturbing events that can happen to a person. In addition to dealing with the emotional stress of being incarcerated, inmates must also prepare for their release back into society, which can be equally – if not more – stressful.

In the past, incarceration was more about punishing offenders and criminals as well as keeping them away from the general public. Today, however, many correctional institutions focus on not just punishing criminals, but attempting to rehabilitate them as well. Rehabilitating criminals instead of simply punishing them not only helps them adjust to society upon their release, but it also helps reduce recidivism rates.

Correctional treatment specialists work to develop plans of action based on each inmates wants and needs. They aim to help make the transition from a correctional facility back into society as smooth as possible and help inmates better themselves. For example, correctional treatment specialists will often help inmates overcome mental health issues, such as anger issues, substance abuse, and other mental and emotional disorders.

Many experts believe that recidivism rates are so high due to the fact that the majority of inmates in our country’s correctional institutes have a low level of education. In fact, many of them have never even graduated high school. This lack of education and career skills makes it much harder for them to find and maintain steady employment. Because of this, correctional treatment specialists often focus on helping inmates learn skills that will make them more employable and live up to their full potential.

As our population grows, the number of inmates within the walls of our nation’s correctional facilities also inevitably continues to grow. Although inmate rehabilitation has been something of a debate for some time now, studies have shown that it does help to some degree. Rehabilitation programs in our nation’s correctional facilities give inmates access to mental health treatment and learning opportunities that were never available or within reach to them. As a correctional treatment specialist, you could help inmates learn the skills they need to stay out of the system and better themselves overall.

What are the Education Requirements for Becoming a Correctional Treatment Specialist?

A minimum of a bachelor’s degree is typically required for anyone pursuing a correctional treatment specialist career. A major in corrections and a minor in psychology or a major in psychology with a minor in corrections is usually necessary for pursuing this career. However, employers may also consider applicants with degrees in related areas, such as criminal justice, social work, sociology, or therapy.

Although entry-level positions generally only require a bachelor’s degree, don’t underestimate the value of a graduate degree. In fact, some employers, including federal agencies, may even require a minimum of a master’s degree.

Why do we Need Correctional Treatment Specialists?

Unfortunately, many of the inmates that are incarcerated often end up right back behind bars. Correctional treatment specialists work hard to help reduce recidivism rates. They do this by helping inmates overcome obstacles, like substance abuse and anger issues, and make themselves more employable.

What do Correctional Treatment Specialists Do?

Correctional Treatment Specialists have a number of different duties and responsibilities. In general, however, they help inmates overcome obstacles in their lives and prepare for their release back into society. In order to accomplish these tasks, these specialists typically work closely with other correctional professionals as well as inmates.

First, a correctional treatment specialist will assess and evaluate each inmate they’re working with. This is usually done through interviews with inmates and their family, along with administering psychological and intelligence tests. By analyzing an inmate’s psychological tendencies, intelligence levels, and past behaviors, a correctional treatment specialist can then create a plan for rehabilitation.

A rehabilitation plan is created in hopes of successfully reintroducing an inmate back into society. It often involves the inmate being involved in educational and mental health programs. Inmates enrolled in educational programs may be able to earn diplomas and degrees, or learn valuable job and career skills. Correctional treatment specialists also make sure that inmates receive any mental health treatment they might need. For instance, inmates are often treated for problems like substance abuse, depression, and anger issues with medications and therapy.

Throughout the process, a correctional treatment specialist is also responsible for monitoring each inmate and keeping track of their progress. Based on this progress, a correctional treatment specialist will often help determine whether an inmate is ready to be paroled.

Where do Correctional Treatment Specialists Work?

Not surprisingly, the majority of correctional treatment specialists work in correctional facilities, like prisons and penitentiaries. Some of these professionals, however, may also work outside of correctional facilities in conjunction with parole officers.

What is the Average Correctional Treatment Specialist Salary?

As our population grows, more and more criminal activity occurs. Because of this, there is a much greater need for correctional treatment specialists and inmate rehabilitation in general. Due to the increased demand for these professionals and the possible dangers associated with the job, correctional treatment specialists are typically well compensated.

According to the Bureau of labor Statistics, the average annual salary for correctional treatment specialists was $52,110 in 2011, with the highest average salary of $77,230 being reported in California. Depending on your employer and personal situation, you could make more or less than this. Specialists with additional education, for instance, are often more valuable to their employers and can therefore command a higher salary.

Okay so maybe Dr. Emmett Brown isn’t the best example of a scientist conducting psychological studies these days, but you get the idea. Chances are, if you are an avid news consumer, you have read an article based on a psychological study in the past few months. As the general public has become more aware of the impact and importance of psychological research, the more often this research has appeared in the news. But even now, the psychological research that makes its way into the consciousness of the general public is only the tip of the iceberg. Only the truly devoted can stay abreast with most of the psychological research that is continuously being produced.

Frankly, we think it is a shame that more of this research doesn’t become common knowledge, because the research is important, and the people doing it are dedicating their lives to conducting it. These people deserve some credit, especially if the research is particularly telling or impactful. Keep in mind that all of this research wasn’t conducted or published in September and not all of the research will change the world, these are just ten examples of important, fun, and interesting recent research being conducted across the globe. Not all of it is even specifically psychological research, but all of them have psychological ties for sure. Enjoy!

On how expressing fears can help conquer them 

School: UCLA

Notable Authors: Katharina Kircanski, Michelle Craske and Matthew Lieberman

At some point or another, everyone is forced to confront and try and overcome their fears. It’s not usually a fun experience and can often be quite difficult. Fortunately, a study out of the UCLA psychology lab suggests that overcoming those fears might be as easy as describing those fears right before you confront them. A team of psychologists led by Katharina Kircanski (now at Stanford), Michelle Craske, and Matthew Lieberman asked 88 people with spider-phobia to get as close as possible to a live tarantuala.

They split the participants into four groups and found that the first group — which was asked to describe its experiences and label their reactions to the tarantula — was able to get much closer to the spider and seemed to be less nervous and anxious.

“When spider-phobics say, ‘I’m terrified of that nasty spider,’ they’re not learning something new; that’s exactly what they were feeling — but now instead of just feeling it, they’re saying it,” Lieberman said. For some reason that we don’t fully understand, that transition is enough to make a difference.”

The words participants used also played a role as describing the spider in more negative terms actually helped participants overcome some of their fears. It may seem insignificant at first glance, but considering Lieberman and Craske plan to study how this strategy could help rape or trauma victims, the findings could have major implications on mental health and recovery.

On why people hate waiting in lines so much

School: INSEAD School of Business

Notable Authors: Ziv Carmon and Daniel Kahneman

This one struck a little close to our heart and so we decided to include it because there might not be anyone who likes waiting in a line less than we do. It’s boring, frustrating, and sometimes even infuriating and we are hardly alone in this belief. MIT operations researcher Richard Larson explained it as occupied time (walking some place) feels shorter than unoccupied time (standing in line) but there is more to this phenomenon than just that.

In 1995, Ziv Carmon, then at Duke and now a professor of marketing at Insead, and Daniel Kahneman, a Senior Scholar at Princeton examined lines in more depth and found some other interesting psychology involved. For example, your experience in a line can be impacted by the final moments, which means that if you hate the line you are in, try to make sure your last experiences in that line are positive ones. Also, people are more concerned with length of the line rather than how fast it is moving, meaning they often choose a slower-moving short line, even if it will take the same amount of time as a quick-moving long line.

You may wonder why in the hell this research is important at all, but the New York Times covered it recently and they made an excellent final point that is a far better description of why this research is important than we could give.

Americans spend roughly 37 billion hours each year waiting in line. The dominant cost of waiting is an emotional one: stress, boredom, that nagging sensation that one’s life is slipping away. The last thing we want to do with our dwindling leisure time is squander it in stasis. We’ll never eliminate lines altogether, but a better understanding of the psychology of waiting can help make those inevitable delays that inject themselves into our daily lives a touch more bearable.

On how valuing the future, makes smokers more likely to quit 

School: Newcastle (UK)

Notable Authors: Drs. Heather Brown and Jean Adams

At first glance it seems like this research should be a no-brainer. Given the well-documented health risks that come along with smoking, it shouldn’t take much of a leap to realize that people who enjoy thinking about their future are more likely to quit smoking. But this research explains a lot more than that. Newcastle University doctors, Heather Brown and Jean Adams, used eight years of data from The Household Income and Labour Dynamics of Australia to identify nearly 2,000 survey-takers who said they were smokers from 2001.

They then analyzed those smokers’ answers to questions about their future and placed the identified participants in two groups. People who looked ahead by more than three months were considered folks with long time horizons, and people whose future plans didn’t go further than a week were considered folks with short time horizons. After that, they went back and looked at how many of those smokers has tried to quit by 2008 and they found that 76 percent of quitters were focused on their long-term future compared with just 66 percent of those who just kept on smoking.

survey collects data on economic and subjective well-being, work, and family dynamics every year from over 7,000 Australian households. Brown and Adams identified 1,817 participants who were smokers at the start of the survey (2001) and analysed their planning regarding their saving and spending to measure their future orientation. People whose spending and saving plans looked ahead by more than three months were categorized as having a longer time horizon, while those whose financial plans looked no more than a week ahead had a shorter time horizon. The researchers then looked at how many of those 2001 smokers had quit or tried to quit by 2008. Seventy-six percent of quitters were long-time-horizon planners, compared with 66% of those who continued to smoke.

You may think these numbers are negligible and that this information is really just common sense, but there are still hundreds of thousands of people around the world who are wrecking their bodies by smoking. And if it is proven that helping a smoker think more carefully about their future will increase the probability that they quit down the line, then the research was worth it, especially when people’s health is at risk.

On how students that binge-drink are happier with their college social experience

School: Colgate

Notable Authors: Carolyn L. Hsu and Landon Reid

By now it is pretty much common knowledge that binge-drinking has become college students’ most popular and most dangerous pastime. But until Colgate sociology professor Carolyn L. Hsu and her co-author Landon Reid conducted their study, it probably wasn’t common knowledge that those binge-drinkers are actually the happiest students on campus.

Of course the binge-drinking students aren’t happier because of all the alcohol that is going into their body on a weekly basis, it is far more psychological than that. “Binge drinking is a symbolic proxy for high status in college,” Hsu said. “It’s what the most powerful, wealthy, and happy students on campus do. This may explain why it’s such a desirable activity.”

Hsu and Reid conducted their research by using a survey of nearly 1,600 undergraduates at an elite Northeastern liberal arts college in 2009.  They found that the students from higher status groups (wealthy students, Greek-affiliated students) were happier with their college social life than their fellow students from lower status groups. They also found that these students from higher status groups were more likely to binge drink and frighteningly also discovered that lower status groups viewed binge-drinking as a way to climb the social ladder and and fit in with the “cool students on campus”.

The impact of this information may be great, especially if it can help notoriously tone-deaf university administrators help devise better strategies to curb binge-drinking on campus. No one is naive enough to believe that binge-drinking can be stopped, but if people wake up and recognize that binge-drinking is most closely tied to social status, then maybe we can begin to develop more effective ways to reach students about the dangers of binge-drinking.

On how people lie when they are under time pressure

Schools: University of Amsterdam and Ben-Gurion University of Negev

Notable Authors: Shaul Shalvi, Ori Eldar, and Yoella Bereby-Meyer

Kudos to Shaul Shalvi of the University of Amsterdam and Ori Eldar and Yoella Bereby-Meyer of Ben-Gurion University of Negev for tackling the question that all of us have probably been asked at one point or another — why do you lie? Their results turned up information that most people already knew, and it also turned up some information that may help people understand dishonest behavior when they didn’t before.

The researchers theorized that time pressure would make people more likely to lie, especially if there was a potential financial windfall involved. They went about proving it by asking 70 adults to roll a die three times. The participants were told to reveal to the experimenters’ what the first roll was, and that the higher the roll they reported, the more money they could earn.

They also gave half of the group only 20 seconds to report the roll while the others were under no time pressure at all. What they discovered is that while people in both groups lied, the people under time pressure were more likely to lie. They basically found data to indicate that their hypothesis was correct — people under time pressure were more willing to lie, and people not under time constraints would only lie if they felt the lie was justified.

The research teaches us that forcing a person to answer a question in a short period of time or backing someone into a corner is only going to elicit more lies from the person responding to the question. People know what the right and ethical answer is, but when time is short and money is involved, they are willing to pull the trigger and lie. But maybe, just maybe, if you give someone the time to make the right, ethical choice, they will reward you with scrupulous and honest behavior.

On why some people don’t leave when the storms comes calling

Schools: Stanford University and Princeton University

Notable Authors: Nicole M. Stephens, MarYam G. Hamedani, Hazel Rose Markus, Hilary B. Bergsieker, and Liyam Eloul

This research, while old, is especially timely considering citizens of the Gulf Coast are still picking through the wreckage and damage done by the recently deceased Hurricane Isaac. If you are like us, and you watched brave Gulf Coast citizens refuse to leave their homes even in the face of a potentially lethal hurricane, then you probably also asked yourself why those foolish people don’t just pack up and leave. Well, it turns out we weren’t the first people to ask this question and the research shows that choosing to leave your home is a more difficult decision than you might initially think.

Researchers from Princeton University and Stanford University examined this issue in a 2009 article for Psychological Science magazine. They used Hurricane Katrina to exmaine the issue and started by analyzing how more than 450 outside observers perceived both the people who left New Orleans and the people who stayed. They quickly found that most observers were baffled by some citizens’ insistence on staying in the city despite the obvious dangers. The researchers then used nearly 80 interviews from survivors from Hurricane Katrina and examined the motivating forces behind the people who left and the people who stayed. What they discovered is that it is easy for us to sit on our couches and say that everyone should evacuate the city, but it is much harder to make that decision when you are thrust into the middle of it.

“It seems like asking ‘Why didn’t people leave?’ presumes that that’s the best option for everyone to make,” researcher Hilary Bergsieker told NBC News. And in fact, the study proved that leaving isn’t the best option for everyone. For starters, many people, especially in the poorer areas of New Orleans did not have the resources, supplies, and outside connections to even consider leaving. This is something that members of the middle and upper classes take for granted when they ask the question of why these people didn’t leave, but that’s only because those people have never experienced what it is like to be stuck between a rock and a hard place.

But resources aren’t the only reasons people stay, there are mitigating psychological factors at work as well, such as ties to the community, personal history and experiences, and emotional connection to the area.

“If you have spent most of your life in the same community, then you would likely feel more attachment to your home,” study author Nicole Stephens said in the same interview with NBC News. “And [you would] feel less comfortable as well as less equipped to quickly uproot yourself in response to evacuation orders.”

Will this study and research ever have an impact on your life directly? Maybe not. But it does offer those of us fortunate enough to have never been a part of such storms some perspective. Instead of judging the people who decided to stay and weather out the storms, more people should be willing to recognize the mitigating factors and maybe some of us will even identify with the personal and emotional connection some people have with their community.

On how brain scans may help treat social anxiety disorder better

Schools: MIT and Boston University

Notable Authors: John Gabrieli, Oliver Doehrmann and Satrajit Ghosh

Social anxiety disorder has long been one of the most difficult disorders to treat. As technology has advanced, scientists and doctors have learned more about the best ways to treat people with social anxiety disorder, and their methods have become more effective. But with a disorder as delicate as social anxiety disorder, people respond to different treatments differently, and there hasn’t been an accurate way to determine which treatments work best with which patients. But now that all may be changing.

Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston University conducted a study on behavioral therapy for social anxiety and as a part of that study, John Gabrieli, Oliver Doehrmann, and Satrajit Ghosh and their team authored a paper that indicated that brain scans may actually help doctors identify more effective and personalized treatment for potential patients.

The researchers imaged the brains of patients before and after treatment and measured the differences in activity as the patient looked at angry and neutral images. They were then subjected to three months of cognitive therapy and then had their social anxiety levels’ recorded. They found that patients who had exhibited a larger difference in activity during the image-response test, showed the most improvement after therapy.

Now before you immediately rejoice, understand there is still a lot of work to do, and the researchers still aren’t positive why brain activity would help treatment outcome, but they are already planning follow-up studies with the hopes of drilling down deeper into the meaning.

It may not have been a victory against social anxiety disorder, but it is an encouraging step forward when it comes to understand cognitive behavioral therapy and treatment for social anxiety disorder. If researchers can use this information and keep the momentum rolling, doctors will have a much easier job when it comes to treating social anxiety disorder.

On how schoolyard bullies with high IQs are less likely to become criminals later in life 

School: Cambridge University

Notable Authors: Professor David Farrington and Dr Maria Ttofi

One of the more interesting studies we included in our list this month comes from some smart folks like David Farrington and Dr. Maria Ttofi of Cambridge University, who examined the links between schoolyard bullies and criminals and presented their findings last week at the British Psychological Society’s Developmental Section Conference.

It is interesting not only because bullying has taken such a prominent position in current events in recent months but also because of the methods these researchers used in their studies and the interesting conclusions they were able to draw from their research. The study began in the early 60s by analyzing more than 400 eight-year-olds in London as they grew from adolescence to adulthood. Using in-person interviews collected then, Farrington and Ttofi were able to secure 93 percent of the participants from 1961 to be interviewed again now that they were 48 years old. The results showed that 18 percent of teenage bullies had been convicted of a violent crime and 39 percent had been convicted for a criminal offense. But that was not all they found.

They also found that five percent of bullies with high IQ were convicted of violent criminal offenses compared to 26 percent of bullies with low IQs. They also learned that small, stable families and good schools were a factor in helping bullies stay out of criminal trouble. When they dug deeper they found that violent offenses were more related to the individuals’ IQ and simple criminal offenses had more to do with family and social influences.

On the surface this all seems relatively straight forward. Scholars and researchers have known for years that stable and well-to-do backgrounds helped prevent later criminal behavior. But what this study and research shows is that there are different types of methods that will work for curbing the trend between school bullying and later criminal activity.

On how psychology will always trump anti-obesity drugs

School: University of Surrey

Notable Authors: Dr. Amelia Hollywood and Dr. Jane Ogden

Take all the anti-obesity drugs you want, it still won’t help you lose weight unless you believe in yourself and your ability to lose weight, or at least that is what Drs. Amelia Hollywood and Jane Ogden of the University of Surrey are suggesting in their latest research study.

The duo interviewed 10 people who had put on weight over an 18-month period after they were prescribed weight loss medication. The doctors wanted to learn more about these people’s experiences and why the weight loss medication wasn’t working for them. What they found is that weight loss can be a psychological commitment as well as a physical one.

The research found that the discouraging results that these interviewees saw their inability to lose weight as a problem they couldn’t overcome, something that no matter how hard they tried, would also be a part of them.

“Unless we get the psychology right and change people’s beliefs about themselves, their eating and the way the drug works, this medication is often going to produce disappointing results,” Dr. Hollywood said. “We hope our research will encourage the doctors to prescribe this medication more wisely and to provide patients with more support while they are taking it.”

We are no experts, but it sure seems like in this case that belief is stronger or as strong as the medication itself. Weight loss is a physical challenge but it is also a mental challenge. People who are willing to put in the time and the work and truly believe that they can lose weight, will have more success that those who take a defeatist attitude and just assume that there is nothing to be done. So if you feel yourself getting discouraged or down, try to persevere, try to tell yourself that you can do this, you just have to believe.

On how violent video games are not so bad when players cooperate

School: Ohio State

Notable Authors: David Ewoldsen and John Velez

The link between violent video games and real world aggression has been examined since video games first started becoming popular. Games like Duke Nukem, Quake, and Grand Theft Auto have all been accused of influencing teenagers’ aggression, anger, and violence. The debate has been going on for years about whether this criticism is valid, but maybe this new research, which shows that cooperation in violent video games may curb aggression, will render the debate moot completely.

Two separate studies found that college students who played violent video games with a friend were not only more cooperative and less aggressive than the college students who playing the video games competitively. According to the researchers, the aggressive feelings that come from playing  violent video game don’t just disappear, they are just balanced out by the feelings that come from cooperating with someone else and joining forces.

One study placed nearly 120 students in four groups and the groups either played competitively or cooperatively. After playing the video game, the pairs were asked to play a real-life game with opportunities to cooperate or compete. The results showed that participants who cooperated in the video game were more likely to cooperate in real life also.

“Clearly, research has established there are links between playing violent video games and aggression, but that’s an incomplete picture,” study co-author and Ohio State professor Dave Ewoldsen said. “Most of the studies finding links between violent games and aggression were done with people playing alone. The social aspect of today’s video games can change things quite a bit.”

This research should change the way psychologists and communication experts analyze video games in the future because now they must take into account not only the gory content of the game, but also the environment in which user is actually playing the game and who they may be playing with.

This is an important step forward and a very important consideration, especially given how often video games are analyzed not only in research labs across the country, but also how video games are analyzed in the news, in pop culture, and by the general public.

Okay so we are exaggerating its awfulness only slightly but the point remains, introductory classes can be brutal for freshmen. In some instances, the class can be so boring and large that it will ruin a student’s experience with a certain subject. It happened to us with introductory classes in Biology and European History when we were in college, and it’s possible that it could happen to you. As much as we would like to help every college freshman with this problem, we are a pyschology site, with an interest in making sure that an introductory psychology class doesn’t turn off an interested student from the subject.

Here are a few tips to surviving your introductory psychology class from a group of people with a lot of experience in barely surviving their freshmen lectures. Enjoy!

Get to know your teacher

This is particularly important if you attend a large state school and your Introduction to Psychology class has 400 students, but it is a useful suggestion no matter how many fellow students are in your class. Let’s face it, even if your teacher was the world’s most selfless instructor who wanted nothing more than to make sure each and every student learns a lot, that professor still doesn’t have enough time in the world to care about each student’s individual success.

Chances are they teach other classes and have research conduct. Also, chances are the introductory class you are enrolled in is the class that teacher invests the least amount of time in. So since the teacher isn’t going to make an effort, the onus is on you to get the most out of the class.

Talk to your professor after class, go to see him during office hours even if you don’t have a lot of questions, sit close to the front of class, ask insightful questions. These are just a few ways to get to know your professor. Once you get to know your professor, class will likely be less boring and more worthwhile. Not only will you learn more, but you will also be more engaged. Plus, there is always the chance you make a lasting impression and that professor helps open some doors to the psychology careers you have always wanted.

Don’t just sit there and take notes

The default use of class time for every first-time college student is note-taking. When you aren’t sure what the best way to learn is, you should just take notes, or at least that’s what common sense suggests. We respectfully argue that, in this instance, common sense doesn’t know what it’s talking about, because it has never been stuck copying down notes from a PowerPoint presentation for six hours.

Now before you go burning all of your notebooks and telling your teachers that a crazy guy on the Internet told you to do it, we aren’t advocating not taking notes at all, we are only trying to say that if the class is 50 minutes long, not all of it should be spent copying down what the professor is saying. Note-taking is important and it is going to help you pass whatever class you are enrolled it — introductory or otherwise. But are you really learning or retaining any information if all you are doing is copying down notes? We argue that no, you aren’t really learning.

Now hopefully your professor is worthwhile and will try to incorporate some other aspects of class that don’t involve just listening to him lecture you about human behavior. But most introductory classes are designed to be lectures, so it’s up to you to make the subject interesting and still learn at the same time.

Follow along in the book. Or collaborate with a friend so that you can listen while he takes notes and then the next class you switch. Ask questions. If your professor allows laptops, use them to look up interesting news articles on the subjects. It doesn’t matter how you choose to liven up the classroom, just make sure you make cater your learning to what keeps you interested.

Make fast friends with someone in class

When we say friends, we aren’t talking about the type of people you hang out with on the weekends and the type of people you go to the movies with, although it certainly would be cool if they became that sort of friend. The type of friends we are talking about are the type of people you study with, the people you coordinate note-taking with, the people you complain about your boring teacher with, and the people you sit next to in class.

Finding a friend in your class will undoubtedly help make the class easier to deal with. Not only will it help to have someone else to study with and learn from when you missed something in class, but it is always fun to have someone who doesn’t mind listening to you moan about how miserable your introduction to psychology class is. Plus, psychology is not an easy subject to understand, so if you can find a friend, maybe the two of you will be able to figure out the more complex topics on your own.

Get involved in psychology-related activities and groups on campus

We are writing this article for students who actually want to survive introductory psychology courses, so we are assuming that if you are reading this, you are interested enough in psychology to pursue the subject further after the class is over. If that is the case, then there is nothing more important that pursuing your passion outside of the classroom as well.

It may not seem like there is enough time to juggle classes, homework, social responsibilities and academic clubs, but trust us, you will have plenty of time to drink cheap beer and flirt with members of the opposite sex. The kind of involvement that will help you jump-start a career comes from joining the psychology club, or helping professors with their research, or maybe even looking for an internship or job while you are working on school stuff as well.

This will not only help reaffirm the fact that psychology as a subject is not defined by the introductory classes, and it also may make the subject material in the class more interesting. If you are applying principles you learned in class to work you are doing outside of class, you can’t help but become more invested and excited about what you are learning. This will force you to pay more attention in class as well and you may even feel good about knowing the answer to class questions that no other person knows because they aren’t involved like you are.

It was hard for me to think of anything that stuck out as a prominent interest I could use for a major. That was, until I realized that I had always found myself being drawn to people. Not so much the people themselves, but their behavior. Like people becoming embarrassed when they accidentally make eye contact with a stranger on the subway. I wondered why some people with disorders act so dramatically different while other disorders are far more subtle.

I am a very sociable person, so that’s what drew me in to wondering about behavior and human interaction. Now, ever since I started learning more about psychology, I start picking out events in reality and seeing them through different lenses. For example, I might see something about a historical event, like World War II and think about how ethnocentric the world leaders were and what psychological factors drove those leaders to make their impactful – and often catastrophic – decisions. Or it might also be something much smaller, like I might notice someone consistently being scared of something and my mind would immediately be thinking about whether that person has some sort of a phobia.

Once I started thinking about psychology as a major, I started thinking it might be even more useful than I initially realized. Psychology shows up everywhere in the modern world. Since psychology is essentially based around people and how they think and operate, almost any field that involves people involves psychology.

A particular book I am reading – How We Decide by Jonah Lehrer – shows what I am talking about. It’s all about the psychology and neuroscience behind the brain’s decision-making process. The book is interesting mostly because of how many different areas it connects psychology to in-depth. Areas like gambling, football, television shows, the military all have psychological aspects. So are other topics like advertising, biology, philosophy and music. Since I have so many varying interests, this versatility really seals the deal for my interest in psychology. I decided, this is an old field that has much left to be discovered.

I have learned a great deal about psychology since I started showing interest. However, my knowledge of psychology – and especially how I can use it to get a career – are still immature. I have thought about the idea of graduate school, and it intimidates me. However, I also know graduate psychology degrees can be much more useful.

This has brought my decision process to an impasse and I’m not sure what to do still. So while psychology is interesting to me on many levels, it has a tendency to intimidate me somewhat, as I’m sure is natural for any college student struggling to decide what they want to do for the rest of their life. My hope is that, going into my sophomore year of college, I might gain a little more knowledge about the practicality and logistics of a psychology major.

I also hope that I might gain more confidence in my learning and my knowledge of psychology as a field. The thing that I find most amusing though, is that psychology is happening to me even as I worry about being a psychology major. My brain is going through the exact things I am learning about in the field that I am most dedicated to studying.

We are hardly experts on what should be considered an effective or ineffective resource, but we have had the opportunity to use some of these applications, talk to others who have used them, and read the reviews across the Internet, and we have put together a list of the 15 psychology applications that you should be using right now.

This list is not in any particular order nor is it meant to be comprehensive. Consider it a supplemental resource of supplemental resources and don’t be afraid to try some of these apps out yourself.

Psych Guide

If you are starting out in the world of psychology, or if you are currently going through your education, stop and check out the Psych Guide App.  The two Psychology masterminds that created this app have gone the distance in creating an app that makes it easy to find and research concepts that you will be dealing with during your education.

Thus far the app has all 5 star reviews, and as we all know, that isn’t easy to do.   Creator David Webb and Dr. Michael Britt have out done themselves with this app.

Get Psych Guide Here

PsycTest Hero

Studying psychology can often involve a lot of memorization.  The folks at The Psych Files recognize this and are back with their second app to make the list in PsycTest Hero, which is designed to help students prepare for psychology tests. The app takes the concept map idea and combines it with a fluid and easy-to-use interface to make studying for psychology tests easier than ever.

The diverse and comprehensive content gives students all the information they could possibly need on a number of different subcategories within psychology. So put away your clunky PowerPoint presentations and index cards and get your mobile psychology study buddy instead.

Get PsycTest Hero here

PsycExplorer

Whether you are already a psychology professional, a psychology student working towards a career in the field, or just a person with an innate sense of curiosity, PsycExplorer is an application with information for you.

Created by the professionals behind The Psych Files podcast, PsycExplorer has research articles, interviews with industry leaders, and a veritable library of credible blogs. Combine those resources with answers to some of psychology majors’ most common questions and you have one of the best psychology resources readily available on your phone or tablet.

Get PsycExplorer here

3D Brain

The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory brings you an interactive and informational look at the different components of the brain and how they all work together. Interested parties, which should be most psychology majors and professionals, can learn how each brain region works, what functions it governs, and how it works with the other regions of the brain to influence your actions and behavior.

But this isn’t some boring and monotonous text-based app, these interactive structures deliver the information in an entertaining way and link to academic and research sources to back up their information.

Get 3D Brain here

Live Happy

Developed by the research team at Signal Patterns and based on the research of psychology professor Sonja Lyubomirsky, Live Happy is designed to help people take control of their own happiness by suggesting a series of activities that are supposed to increase and promote happiness.

The app gathers information about you and your personality, and then offers suggestions of activities that will make you live a happier life. For psychology professionals, the app is an interesting study in the quantification of happiness, and for people who might be feeling a little blue; it is an excellent opportunity to try a new method of finding happiness every day.

Get Live Happy here

The Questions

Night and Day Studios has developed an app that they think will help people build more successful long-term relationships. No one is immune to the occasional misconception about their own relationship, but The Questions was created to help people gain a better understanding of their relationships and how to make sure they are making the right choice.

Through 76 questions backed with additional information, this easy-to-use app helps people evaluate and understand their relationship in ways that they may not have considered before, which will help you stick out the tough times, or cut and run from something bad.

Get The Questions here

TraxItAll

If you are one of the millions of people around the globe who has trouble following through on the goals they have set for themselves, then TraxItAll is here to offer some help. Not only does the app boast an easy-to-use and innovative interface, but it is an incredible way to identify goals, set priorities, and then track your progress as you set out to accomplish those goals and fulfill those priorities.

There are other goal-setting systems, but TraxItAll ignores the fluff and offers a simple, straight-forward product that makes it much easier for someone to set and track their goals without too much thinking or headaches.

Get TraxItAll here

iCounselor: OCD

Created by one of the most popular self-help tools in mobile, iCounselor, this app boasts incredible functionality as it offers information on obsessive-compulsive disorder and also helps user learn about and practice skills that will help them resist their compulsions.

This app shouldn’t replace professional help, and some wish that they would add more focus on obsessions, think of it more like an in-depth and informational resource that will aid your effort to curb OCD. It’s simple, it’s easy to navigate, and it’s a resource that is using technology to combat the issue, and for that they deserve to be applauded.

Get iCounselor: OCD here

Popplet

We are admittedly stretching the meaning of psychology by including Popplet, but this ideas marketplace felt like too cool a resource not to include. Basically, their simple interface is a place to store your ideas so that you can do things like plan projects, record thoughts, and study for tests easier.

Similar to Pinterest in some ways, Popplet lets you build up niche boards for your ideas so that you can sort your thoughts and your Popplet projects easier. It may not be a resource for the professional psychologists, but it’s an idea capturer, and if that isn’t psychological than I don’t know what is.

Get Popplet here

PTSD Coach

When evaluating the effectiveness of iPhone applications, it’s important to determine the credibility of the source. Well, in the case of PTSD Coach, the source is pretty much bulletproof. Created by the Department of Veteran Affairs’ National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and the Department of Defense’s National Center for Telehealth and Technology, PTSD Coach is an award-winning app that offers credible information about the disorder and its effective treatments, tools to help screen for symptoms, and advice and suggestions on how to cope with those systems.

Like the others, this app is not intended to replace professional help, but it is an excellent resource that you can always carry with you in times of need, and of course it’s free, which makes it all the more appealing.

Get PTSD Coach here

Personality Types

No questionnaire, no matter how in-depth and thoughtful, will ever be able to truly pin down a person’s character and personality. But as technology continues to advance, at least we can get closer. Personality Types uses the 16 Myers and Briggs Types to help users understand their own personalities and the personalities of others around them as well. The easy-to-use and sleek interface allows users to read up on the different types and get more in-depth information quickly, determine their type through a comprehensive questionnaire, and compare themselves to others to determine how compatible their personalities are.

Developed by UCLA professor Dario Nardi, this intelligent app has the ability to cut right to the core of people’s personalities and gives the user more information about human interaction, right at their fingertips. If you are interested in the work of Dr. Carl Jung, or just want to see whether your opinion of your personality matches with one of the 16 Types, this app is a no-brainer.

Get Personality Types here

Stroke

The good folks at Doctot, a health informatics company based in Ireland, have been hard at work trying to become the No. 1 resource in the medical sector for interactive software tools and iPhone applications, and Stroke is the product of their hard work. The company’s medical background and expertise helped them design Stroke, which is designed to let the medical practitioner use an efficient and easy-to-use tool to measure the status and progress of Stroke patients.

The app uses some of the most widely respected assessment scales in the world and makes them easy to navigate so medical practitioners can quickly track how the patient is coping with the disease. It is, of course, not going to help cure someone’s stroke, and it won’t provide the therapy a patient will need, but it will give the attending clinician an effective and efficient way to keep track of a patient’s progress, which should make their jobs easier.

Get Stroke here

iCouch CBT

The startup iCouch CBT has quickly become one of the most effective mobile platforms in the psychology community thanks to its simple yet useful idea, and the talents and experience of its creators. iCouch attempts to make counseling easier to access and more affordable through advanced video technology. Basically, the app connects people needing therapy with licensed and credentials counselors, all through the technology of the Internet.

The site is private, highly encrypted, and really simple to use and reuse. The best part is that online counseling has been found to be as effective as in-person counseling, and now all the travel and financial hassles of trying to make it to a regular counseling appointment have been eliminated. Now, if you want counseling, all you have to do is plug into the app and find exactly what you are looking for, because, as they say it, the couch has been brought to you.

Get iCouch here

EPPP Flash Cards

Stressing out over the Examination of Professional Practice of Psychology? The good folks at StudyPsych have you covered with a comprehensive – albeit expensive – app that consists of nearly 3,000 flash cards that cover all the content that will be covered on the examination. Designed by a licensed psychologist, the app is intelligent enough to help the user focus on areas that are struggling with, and it’s easy-to-use interface and framework mean that it is probably easier to stay organized and in touch with your studying progress.

It is quite possibly the most in-depth and intensive mobile psychology studying platform in existence and the StudyPsych claims to have been contacted by many who said the app has helped them study for the exam. We aren’t saying that this app should be your sole resource for studying for the exam, but there is absolutely no way this app can be detrimental to your studying efforts because now, you can study wherever you are, without worrying about carrying hundreds of flashcards around in your pocket.

Get EPPP Flash Cards here

APA Journals

This is easily the simplest app on the list. This free application is developed by the American Psychological Association and it is basically an aggregated list of articles, research, and studies that are available in the APA’s database. Its layout is simple but effective, and its interface is incredible easy to use, making it a must-have resource if you are a psychology student, an active researcher, or just an interested party.

Any students, researchers, and clinicians worth their salt know that keeping up to date on all of the latest trends, research, and news in their industry is an important tool to increasing your effectiveness. Conveniently, the APA understands this too, and they want you to have access to all of their data, research, and information, which is why they created the app. It’s not going to wow you with its design or its functionality, but it’s not supposed to. It’s supposed to keep you well informed about your industry, and hopefully make you a better psychologist or psychology student.

Get APA Journals here

iCBT

No human is immune to the pressure, stress, and anxiety that come with trying to balance all the different aspects of their life. In the world of psychology, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is considered one of the most effective forms of therapy when it comes to treating everything from stress to eating disorders. The folks at Bonfire Development Advisors saw those two facts, and created an app that is based on Dr. David Burns’ idea that using CBT on a day-to-day basis is important when it comes to managing stress.

The app’s intelligent interface lets users identify the sources of the stress easily, and offers suggestions, advice, and information on how to combat that stress. The best part is that when you find yourself in a particularly stressful situation, you can have some form of aid with you at all times. The app isn’t meant to replace professional care but rather supplement it. This way, people can take control of their stress management and try to keep their lives as comfortable as possible.

Get iCBT here

Nobody’s life is perfect – nearly everyone realizes that. However, issues in some people’s lives may be extraordinarily difficult to straighten out, and these people may need help doing so.

Social workers are professionals that can help people resolve difficult issues, and improve their well-being and their quality of life. These professionals typically work with individuals and groups of individuals that are experiencing crises in their lives.

Crises and issues that social workers help people resolve may vary. In , however, these professionals might help individuals cope with problems such as

• Poverty and unemployment
• Addiction and substance abuse
• Medical problems
• Disabilities
• Mental health disorders
• Unplanned pregnancy
• Abuse
• Behavioral disorders

Depending on their specialties, social workers might also work with several different demographics and types of people. For instance, some work directly with children and teens, while others might work with adults and the elderly.

Since the main duty of social workers is to improve the quality of people’s lives, these professionals typically have several responsibilities. Primarily, though, social workers act as advocates for their clients, speaking for them in their time of need.

Why do we need social workers?

In order to cope with life’s hard times, some people may need a little hand up. Thankfully, there are a number of programs and services that are designed to help those in need. Unfortunately, many people may have a difficult time accessing these programs and services, and some may not even know that they exist.

social workers, on the other hand, can help people during their times of need. These professionals offer a helping hand and support when people need it the most. As a social worker, you will have the rare opportunity to work out their issues and help them take steps to move in the right directions in their lives.

What do social workers do?

The exact duties of social workers may vary and will typically depend on what types of social workers they are. Here are just a few common examples.

• Child and family social workers typically only have children as clients. These types of social workers act as advocates for children who might need help coping with any number of problems, such as poverty or abuse.
• Geriatric social workers ly help elderly clients, who may be having trouble adjusting to such things as failing health and decreased income opportunities.
• Mental health social workers work with individuals who have mental health issues that may be interfering with their everyday lives.
• Addiction social workers attempt to help individuals struggling with addictions overcome their vices. They may arrange for addicts to check into rehabilitation centers, for instance, or refer them to addiction counselors.

No matter what type of social workers they are, however, most social workers do perform similar tasks.

First of all, a social worker will meet with and interview clients. This enables them to assess their situation and determine what needs to be done to make their lives better. Most social workers will also help develop goals and plans for their clients, outlining the steps that they need to take for this to happen. They will also help them find services and assistance that they may need. For instance, a family social worker trying to help a poverty stricken mother feed her children after a recent job loss may help her apply for welfare benefits, such as cash assistance, housing assistance, and food stamp benefits. The social worker will also help the woman take steps to find employment, so she can work toward becoming more self-sufficient.

In , a social worker also acts as a rock for clients during their times of need. He may offer counseling services, for instance, as well as moral support and encouragement.

Where do social workers find employment?

If you are interested in pursuing a social work career, you will often be able to find employment in a number of different settings.

Social workers are often employed by government agencies, at the local, state and federal levels, for instance. They also work in medical hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, mental health clinics, child welfare agencies, assisted living home, and schools, among other facilities.

What are the education requirements for a social work career?

Typically, most individuals pursuing social work careers will usually start by completing bachelor’s degrees in social work or human services. Most states also require social workers to be licensed as well, which involves completing a graduate degree program as well as several hours of supervised work experience. The exact amount of work experience required in your state may differ, but many states require social workers to complete roughly 3,000 hours of supervised fieldwork before they can become licensed.

What is the salary of a social worker?

The U.S. Bureau of labor Statistics estimated that social workers had a median salary of $53,900 in 2011. However, your salary as a social worker may be more or less than this, depending on your specialty and where you find employment.