Learning Memory and Psychopathology

Psychology: Reflection
Name
Institution

Psychology: Reflection
Based on the observations from my research, I have developed significant interests in Learning/Memory and Psychopathology as my future career possibilities. By seizing Learning/Memory as a subspecialty, I will be able to study human thought processes and the capability of understanding, retaining and interpreting ideas. Also, I will be able to address development, behavioral, substance use, and memory disorders in individuals. Moreover, specializing in Psychopathology will give me an opportunity to work as a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist and focus on the treatment of individuals dealing with different forms of mental illnesses.
Initially, I held a perception that psychologists who specialize in Learning/Memory could only spend their careers in a university teaching and conduct researching on cognitive psychology issues. However, after researching this subspecialty, I have learned that there has been a notable growth in other fields like human-computer interaction and organizational psychology which are pivotal to cognitive psychologists. Also, psychologists specializing in Memory may work in clinical settings to assist in treating issues related to human mental processes like Alzheimer’s disease and perception difficulties. I have also learned that Psychopathology is different from psychopathy which relates to criminality and antisocial personality disorders.
The knowledge gained from pursuing Learning/Memory as a specialty can be applied in the legal field.

Indeed, psychologists specializing in this area may focus on legally relevant issues like eyewitness identification and detection of deception (American Psychological Association, 2018). Therefore, they can work with law enforcement agencies to establish investigative procedures to improve the likelihood of accurate testimonies about accidents and crimes. Besides, social workers can use the knowledge of Psychopathology to understand the factors that may have caused or contributed to the development of mental illness and evaluate what needs to be adjusted in an individual’s environment to enhance coping and mastery.

Reference
American Psychological Association. (2018). Careers in Psychology and Law. Retrieved on August 28, 2018, from http://www.apadivisions.org/division-41/education/students/careers.aspx