Types Of Jobs In Cognitive Psychology

Isn't it great to know that we finally have some insights into how the mind works? While a lot of psychology remains an enigma, we can applaud the field of psychology for developing theories around what it has already uncovered pertaining to the human mind.

The field of cognitive psychology is therefore a popular and important one.

There are a variety of careers that you can pursue in the field of cognitive psychology such as becoming a therapist or a mental healthcare provider, a researcher, educator, or a software developer to name a few.

Let us take a deeper look at the career prospects available in the field of cognitive psychology.

About Cognitive Psychology

Cognitive psychology looks at the behavior of human beings based on the internal mental processes that each person possesses and that are unique to each person. Cognitive psychology looks at a variety of different processes including language, memory, attention, and much more.

It can often be thought of as a difficult field of study because there is nothing concrete or tangible to assess and look at. Looking at the thoughts of an individual and how that affects their behaviors and responses is only as easy to do as the person allows.

This means that if you are seeking to identify certain motives or triggers in a person that leads to certain behavior, it will only be as easy to uncover as they allow it to be.

While cognitive psychologists do hold a difficult job, psychological theories have been built over decades of research which provides them with paramount foundational backings to almost every case they may face.

This foundational knowledge, coupled with a passion for helping others, makes cognitive psychology a much-needed field of study.

Types Of Jobs In Cognitive Psychology

Healthcare Service Providers

In a healthcare environment, cognitive psychologists play a great role in the treatment and health management of individuals facing mental illnesses and mental disorders. Cognitive psychologists work as part of a greater team of health care providers in providing diagnosis, treatment, and care for patients.

Working in either hospitals, private practices, or clinics, healthcare service providers usually assist in treating patients suffering from dementia, anxiety, schizophrenia, and other chronic mental illnesses.

In the cases of these chronic illnesses, patients may require lifelong care, in which case a cognitive psychologist will develop a long-standing relationship with the patient.

To become a practicing cognitive psychologist in the field of healthcare, you would need to earn a doctoral degree before you begin practicing. You would also need to obtain certification in the state that you are hoping to practice in.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for psychologists is $81,040.

Therapist

Whether we have actually been to therapy, or you have seen it on television, it is not lost on us that therapists play a monumental role in assisting people through mental difficulties. Whether it is a once-off therapy session, or life-long therapy, in helping an individual, therapists also help the greater society by making each person feel like the best version of themselves.

Therapists who pursue cognitive psychology often find themselves working on two ends of the age spectrum. They either work closely with children who are facing developmental challenges, or they work with the elderly who battle chronic health challenges.

However, they may also help patients in overcoming and dealing with emotional problems, traumatic events, and triggers that they face that may prevent them from being a functioning member of society.

Researcher

As previously mentioned, the importance of theory development is paramount to the effective execution of cognitive psychoanalysis. But how are these foundational theories formed? Well, the answer is simple: it is formed through research.

Research is the bedrock for all of psychology. And the thing about the mind is that it is never fully studied. The study of each channel of the mind and mental processes is never fully exhausted. If there are suspected deviations from the norms and from what is expected, then this, too, will need to be explored and studied further.

The streams of research in the field of cognitive psychology are truly endless, making this a viable role and career path to pursue. On your road to a career in research, you will need to obtain a doctoral degree in psychology. However, one of the beneficial aspects of this is that you are practically trained in research while obtaining your qualifications.

This means that you not only become qualified, but you also get first-hand exposure and experience.

Software Development

Being a cognitive psychologist essentially means that you know how the mental process in the mind works. You are able to use this skill effectively in the role of software development. This is because you are able to develop digital interfaces, conceptualize and develop beta testing programs, and work towards optimizing the user experience on a variety of interfaces that people interact with daily.

This skill allows you to create a digital environment that people can use without being too mentally taxing and straining on them. You will be able to decipher if a digital environment, in any form, is too overstimulating or can't grasp a user's attention for long enough.

Software developers work on meeting the user's needs while maintaining the quality of the digital product that they are developing.

According to the BLS, software developers earn an average annual salary of $110,140, and typically only require a bachelor's degree.

Educator

Going into the field of education when you have a qualification in the field of cognitive psychology opens up a variety of doors. Firstly, going into education doesn't mean that you are limited to only lecturing at a university level.

Becoming an educator with a cognitive psychology degree means that you will be able to adapt teaching methods to suit the developmental structures of kids. Through these methods, you can increase the comprehension the student takes in and you can optimize the skills they learn because you will know and understand how the brain best absorbs information.

According to the BLS, postsecondary teachers earned a median annual salary of $79,640.

Conclusion

If you have an understanding of the human mind and mental processes in your back pocket, you have the potential to unlock a variety of possible career fields. All it takes is a passion to work with people and the perseverance to pursue your qualification.

You can then tap into your potential.